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- Creators: Arizona State University
- Creators: Allen, Kelly Anne
Description
Mild TBI (mTBI) has been associated with subtle executive function (EF) and
cognitive-communication deficits. In bilinguals, there are unique cognitive demands required to control and process two languages effectively. Surprisingly, little is known about the impact of mTBI on EF, communication, and language control in bilinguals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the cognitive-communication abilities in bilinguals with a history of mTBI, identify any language control impairments, and explore the relationship between these language control impairments and domain-general cognitive control abilities. To this end, three-hundred and twenty-seven monolingual and bilingual college students with and without mTBI history participated in two experiments. In these experiments, EF, communication, and language control were examined using experimental and clinical tasks as well as self-rating scales. In Experiment 1, there was an interaction between mTBI history and language group (monolinguals vs. bilinguals) in how participants performed on a clinical measure of EF and a verbal fluency task. That is, only bilinguals with mTBI scored significantly lower on these tasks. In addition, there was a significant correlation between errors on a language switching task and performance on non-verbal EF tasks. In Experiment 2, a subgroup of bilinguals with persistent cognitive and behavioral symptoms reported greater everyday communication challenges in their first and second languages. Also, unbalanced bilinguals reported greater EF difficulties than monolinguals and balanced bilinguals regardless of mTBI history. In conclusion, bilinguals may face unique cognitive-communication challenges after mTBI. Factors related to the bilingual experience (e.g., language balance, daily language use) should be
considered in clinical evaluation and future research.
cognitive-communication deficits. In bilinguals, there are unique cognitive demands required to control and process two languages effectively. Surprisingly, little is known about the impact of mTBI on EF, communication, and language control in bilinguals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the cognitive-communication abilities in bilinguals with a history of mTBI, identify any language control impairments, and explore the relationship between these language control impairments and domain-general cognitive control abilities. To this end, three-hundred and twenty-seven monolingual and bilingual college students with and without mTBI history participated in two experiments. In these experiments, EF, communication, and language control were examined using experimental and clinical tasks as well as self-rating scales. In Experiment 1, there was an interaction between mTBI history and language group (monolinguals vs. bilinguals) in how participants performed on a clinical measure of EF and a verbal fluency task. That is, only bilinguals with mTBI scored significantly lower on these tasks. In addition, there was a significant correlation between errors on a language switching task and performance on non-verbal EF tasks. In Experiment 2, a subgroup of bilinguals with persistent cognitive and behavioral symptoms reported greater everyday communication challenges in their first and second languages. Also, unbalanced bilinguals reported greater EF difficulties than monolinguals and balanced bilinguals regardless of mTBI history. In conclusion, bilinguals may face unique cognitive-communication challenges after mTBI. Factors related to the bilingual experience (e.g., language balance, daily language use) should be
considered in clinical evaluation and future research.
ContributorsAlateeq, Halah (Author) / Azuma, Tamiko (Thesis advisor) / Ratiu, Ileana (Committee member) / Lavoie, Michael (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
Given the post 9/11 influx of veteran students in higher education and the importance of early career decision-making for establishment of a post-graduation careers, understanding factors that help and hinder the college success and career decision-making of student veterans is needed. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of veterans in higher education in relation to career decision-making difficulties. Thus, the influence of variables related to campus environment (mentoring and cultural congruity), experiences of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and college stress, and resilience as evidenced by sense of coherence (SOC) was investigated.
A sample of 239 United States Armed Forces veterans (171 male, 67 female, 1 nonbinary) enrolled in institutions of higher education across the United States was recruited through an online program. In addition to a demographic sheet, participants completed self-report measures assessing cultural congruity, sense of coherence, post-traumatic stress symptoms, mentoring, college stress, and career decision-making difficulties.
Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that of the two constructs comprising campus environment, only cultural congruity was a significant and negative predictor of college stress. Mentoring was not a significant predictor. Post-traumatic stress symptoms predicted college stress above and beyond the variance predicted by college environment. The greater student veterans’ post-traumatic stress symptoms, the more college stress they reported experiencing. A moderated hierarchical regression revealed that college environment did not moderate the relation between post-traumatic stress symptoms and college stress. College stress was found to be a positive predictor of career decision-making difficulties. Sense of coherence did not moderate the relation between college stress and career decision-making difficulties.
Findings are discussed in the context of Schlossberg’s transition model, which posits that individuals will navigate the transition process based on their perceptions of the transition and their personal assets and liabilities, factors that influence coping ability. Limitations and clinical implications for working with student veterans are presented. The importance of early intervention to enhance cultural congruity and address post-traumatic stress symptoms and career decision-making difficulties among student veterans is discussed.
A sample of 239 United States Armed Forces veterans (171 male, 67 female, 1 nonbinary) enrolled in institutions of higher education across the United States was recruited through an online program. In addition to a demographic sheet, participants completed self-report measures assessing cultural congruity, sense of coherence, post-traumatic stress symptoms, mentoring, college stress, and career decision-making difficulties.
Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that of the two constructs comprising campus environment, only cultural congruity was a significant and negative predictor of college stress. Mentoring was not a significant predictor. Post-traumatic stress symptoms predicted college stress above and beyond the variance predicted by college environment. The greater student veterans’ post-traumatic stress symptoms, the more college stress they reported experiencing. A moderated hierarchical regression revealed that college environment did not moderate the relation between post-traumatic stress symptoms and college stress. College stress was found to be a positive predictor of career decision-making difficulties. Sense of coherence did not moderate the relation between college stress and career decision-making difficulties.
Findings are discussed in the context of Schlossberg’s transition model, which posits that individuals will navigate the transition process based on their perceptions of the transition and their personal assets and liabilities, factors that influence coping ability. Limitations and clinical implications for working with student veterans are presented. The importance of early intervention to enhance cultural congruity and address post-traumatic stress symptoms and career decision-making difficulties among student veterans is discussed.
ContributorsBorenstein-Mauss, Kimberly Caroline (Author) / Robinson Kurpius, Sharon E (Thesis advisor) / Kinnier, Richard T (Committee member) / Dawes, Mary E (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) affects approximately two million people on an annual basis and increases the frequency and onset of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other related dementias (ADRDs). Mechanical damage and shearing of neuronal axons are thought to be responsible for producing toxic variants of proteins that contribute to disease pathology. Specifically, the tau, beta amyloid, alpha-synuclein, and TAR-binding DNA Protein-43 (TDP-43) variants contribute to the heterogenous pathology mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases. The Sierks lab at Arizona State University has aimed to study how these protein variants collectively interact to contribute to pathologies characteristic of AD/ADRDs. This study focuses on the accumulation of toxic oligomeric variants of TDP-43 secondary to TBI. The first aim of this study was to identify the protein variant fingerprint as a function time following experimental diffuse TBI. The second aim was to investigate if toxic variants of TDP-43 were associated with cognitive and motor functional deficits. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to a single or repetitive diffuse TBI via midline fluid percussion injury or a control surgery (sham). Post-injury, mice were evaluated for cognitive performance, sensorimotor function, and depressive-like behavior at 7-, 14-, and 28-days post-injury. Tissue was collected for immunohistochemistry and stained for ADTDP-3, a single chain antibody variable fragment (ScFv) which binds to toxic variants of TDP-43 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and AD tissue. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to compare staining intensity across various brain regions. Subsequently, a Pearson correlation was performed to compare behavioral task performance to staining intensity by brain region for each injury group. There were significantly elevated levels of ADTDP3 binding in all regions except for the hippocampus, and there was a significant correlation between the cortex staining intensity vs the cognitive behavior test at 7 days post-injury. There was also a significant correlation between the thalamus staining intensity and sensorimotor test at 7 days post-injury. These findings support the hypothesis that the accumulation of toxic variants of TDP-43 can contribute to neurodegenerative pathology and loss of function. These variants also may contribute to behavioral deficits secondary to diffuse TBI.
ContributorsAftab, Umar Syed (Author) / Sierks, Michael R (Thesis advisor) / Rowe, Rachel K (Thesis advisor) / Newbern, Jason M (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021