早期跑台训练对中重度颅脑外伤大鼠运动功能的影响

目的观察早期跑台训练对中重度颅脑外伤大鼠运动功能的影响。 方法将32只成年SD大鼠制成中重度脑外伤模型,采用随机数字表法将其分为训练A组、训练B组、训练C组及对照组。训练A组、训练B组及训练C组大鼠分别于术后24 h、3 d和7 d时进行为期2周的电动跑台训练。于制模后第6、12、18、24及28天时分别采用足误试验（foot-fault）和圆筒试验（cylinder test）评定各组大鼠肢体运动协调能力及前肢运动功能;于制模后第28天时通过焦油紫（CV）染色观察各组大鼠脑体积缺失情况。 结果训练A组足误评分在制模后各时间点与对照组间差异均无统计学意义（均P&rt;0.05）;训练C组足误评分在制模后第12、18、24及28天时分别为（4.70±0.17）分、（4.66±0.09）分、（4.81±0.14）分和（4.84±0.14）分,与对照组间差异均具有统计学意义（均P<0.05）;训练B组足误评分在制模后第18、24和28天时分别为（4.62±0.17）分、（4.81±0.12）分和（4.81±0.09）分,与对照组间差异均具有统计学意义（均P<0.05）。训练C组圆筒试验前肢不对称分值在制模后第12天时开始升高,在制模后第28天时为（0.31±0.04）分,与对照组前肢不对称分值［（0.17±0.04）分］组间差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）;训练A组、训练B组前肢不对称分值在制模后不同时间点与对照组间差异均无统计学意义（均P&rt;0.05）。制模后第28天时发现各跑台训练组大鼠脑体积缺失情况均较对照组有减少趋势,但组间差异均无统计学意义（均P&rt;0.05）。 结论于颅脑损伤后3 d或7 d时进行为期2周的跑台训练,能改善模型大鼠肢体运动协调能力及前肢运动功能,其治疗过程与脑组织缺失体积无明显相关性。     

早期虚拟现实训练对重度颅脑损伤患者认知功能和功能独立性的影响

目的探讨早期虚拟现实(VR)训练对重度颅脑损伤患者认知功能和功能独立性的影响。方法选取2014年6月~2016年6月我科收治的120例重度颅脑损伤患者,根据随机数字表法将患者分为观察组和对照组,各60例。对照组术后行常规康复护理。观察组在对照组的基础上术后行早期VR训练,训练时间为6个月。分别于干预前、干预后3个月、6个月应用认知状态评定(NCSE)软件、Barthel指数、Fugl-Meyer量表(FMA)及生活质量综合评定问卷(GQOLI-74)对两组认知功能状态、功能独立性及生活质量进行评价。结果两组干预前NCSE评分、Barthel指数、FMA评分比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),观察组干预后3个月、6个月NCSE评分、Barthel指数、FMA评分高于对照组(P<0.05),观察组干预后3个月、6个月后生活质量总评分及各维度评分显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论早期VR训练能有效改善重度颅脑损伤患者认知功能和功能独立性,有助于提高患者生活质量。     

认知功能训练改善颅脑损伤后认知障碍22例报告

通过对22例颅脑损伤的患昏迷时间、昏迷程度进行详细记录及意识清醒后的认知训练等，观察颅脑损伤后昏迷程度与认知障碍的关联性以及认知训练对颅脑损伤后认知功能恢复的影响。结果证明，昏迷程度与认知障碍的严重程度相关联；认知训练能改善脑外伤患的认知功能。     

早期跑台及转轮训练对大鼠脊髓损伤后的功能恢复及ED1表达的影响

目的观察早期跑台及转轮训练对大鼠脊髓损伤后的功能恢复及ED1表达的影响。 方法选取22只SD大鼠按随机数字表法分为对照组(8只)、训练组(8只)和假手术组(6只)。对照组和训练组制备T9大鼠脊髓挫伤模型,假手术组只进行T9椎板切除术,而不损伤脊髓。去除死亡及造模失败大鼠,最终17只大鼠完成本研究并纳入统计分析,其中对照组6只、训练组5只、假手术组6只。术后第2天开始进行BBB评分,以后每周进行BBB评分。训练组术后第2天开始转轮及跑台训练,每周5次,持续8周;8周后处死各组大鼠,用多聚甲醛心脏灌流固定,包埋后行冰冻切片,损伤处脊髓切片行尼氏染色、ED1及GFAP免疫荧光染色检测脊髓空洞及损伤面积及炎症细胞表达。 结果①术后第2天,假手术组的BBB评分为(20.58±1.44)分,得分最高;对照组和训练组大鼠的后肢失去运动能力或仅残存一个或两个后肢关节轻微运动,2组大鼠的BBB评分差异无统计学意义;评定后训练组开始治疗,术后1周与对照组相比,训练组显示更高的BBB评分(t2,29＝6.13,P<0.001),而术后3周、5周直到术后8周,组间差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）;术后第7周和第8周时,训练组的BBB评分分别为（13.60±1.71）和（14.60±1.26）分,而对照组评分较低［（11.83±0.72）和（12.17±0.94）分］;但术后2周和4周时,对照组与训练组相比,组间差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。②组织形态学分析,显示脊髓挫压伤会导致空洞,局部组织结构的丧失,损伤中心白质和灰质均发生变化,空腔会延伸几个毫米,尚存完好的组织淡染并显示部分脱髓鞘变化和小的空腔;假手术组脊髓很完整。与对照组相比,训练组能显著减小损伤面积（P<0.05）,但不能减小空洞面积（P>0.05);脊髓损伤后ED1阳性细胞数明显增多［（1905.08±807.38）个］,主要表达在空洞周围,与对照组相比,训练组的ED1阳性细胞数明显降低［（687.20±458.02）个］,且组间差异有统计学意义(P<0.01)。 结论康复训练可以促进脊髓挫压伤后大鼠运动功能的恢复,其可能机制与康复训练可以减少损伤面积及损伤处炎症有关。     

跑台训练对阿尔茨海默病模型大鼠记忆能力和突触可塑性的影响

目的:观察8周跑台运动对阿尔茨海默病模型大鼠记忆能力和突触可塑性的影响及内在机制。方法:60只雄性SD大鼠随机分为正常对照组(NC组)、AD模型对照组(AC组)、AD模型训练组(AE组)。通过向大鼠两侧海马区注射Aβ25-35制造AD模型,Morris水迷宫实验检测各组大鼠记忆能力,Golgi法检测海马神经元树突密度;Western blot法检测海马组织中BDNF、SYP、PSD-95、P-Akt、P-CREB的表达。结果:与AC组比较,AE组大鼠逃避潜伏期明显减少,穿越平台区域次数明显增加(P0.01);Golgi染色结果表明,AE组海马神经元侧树突密度明显增加(P0.01);Western blot检测结果表明,与AC组相比,AE组BDNF、SYP、PSD-95、P-Akt表达都明显增强(P0.01),但P-CREB表达无显著性变化(P0.05)。结论:8周跑台训练可增加AD模型大鼠海马组织BDNF、SYP、PSD-95、P-Akt的蛋白表达,可能与海马神经元树突密度增加有关,或许是AD模型大鼠的记忆能力改善和突触可塑性变化的基础。     

轻中度颅脑损伤合并认知障碍患者早期认知训练的疗效

<正>颅脑损伤严重影响患者的神经功能,甚至引发神经功能障碍。早期的认知训练是改善患者认知障碍的重要途径和方法。本研究主要从颅脑损伤患者知觉、视觉和意志、思维等方面加强训练,观察功能康复情况,报告如下。选取2013年1月至2014年1月于我院就诊的     

认知训练对颅脑损伤患者功能恢复的影响

背景：目前已知神经功能的的恢复有赖于学习和训练，及时地进行正规的康复训练和学习，有利于促进脑侧支循环的建立，促进病灶周围组织或健侧脑细胞的重组或代偿，促进肢体功能、生活能力的提高。颅脑损伤患常存在认知功能障碍，在其恢复期进行认知功能训练，对患的功能恢复有何影响，有待探讨。     

早期跑台训练联合超短波治疗对脊髓损伤大鼠功能恢复的影响

目的 观察早期跑台训练联合超短波治疗对大鼠脊髓损伤（SCI）后4周BBB评分、损伤部位水通道蛋白-4（AQP-4）和胶质纤维酸性蛋白(GFAP)表达的影响,探讨两种方法单独应用及联合应用对SCI的疗效及作用机制。 方法 选取50只雌性SD大鼠,采用改良Allen′s法制作大鼠SCI模型,造模成功（40只）后按照随机数字表法将其分为假手术组、对照组、超短波组、跑台组和联合组,每组8只。术后4周,用BBB评分法评价大鼠后肢运动功能的恢复情况。术后4周取材,SCI部位行GFAP和AQP-4免疫组化染色,测定蛋白表达的积分光密度值（IOD）,进行比较分析。 结果 假手术组BBB评分为21分。余4组术后1 d的BBB评分为0～1分,随着时间延长,评分逐渐增加,除假手术组外,余4组术后4周的BBB评分显著增高（P<0.05）。与对照组同时间点比较,跑台组、联合组大鼠的BBB评分显著较高（P<0.05）。与超短波组同时间点比较,跑台组术后4周［（12.88±3.04）分］,联合组术后2周［（10.12±1.13）分］、3周［（12.38±1.19）分］及4周［（14.50±1.31）分］的BBB评分较高（P<0.05）。SCI术后4周,超短波组、跑台组及联合组AQP-4 IOD均较对照组低（P<0.05）,联合组AQP-4 IOD较超短波组低（P<0.05）。SCI后4周,超短波组、跑台组、联合组GFAP IOD均较对照组低（P<0.05）。与超短波组比较,联合组GFAP IOD较低（P<0.05）。与跑台组比较,联合组GFAP较低（P<0.05）。 结论 跑台训练、超短波治疗均对大鼠SCI后的运动功能恢复有积极作用,其治疗机制可能与减轻损伤部位的AQP-4和GFAP表达有关,且联合应用的疗效更为优异。     

血清BDNF、UA水平与老年帕金森病患者认知功能的相关性

目的探讨血清脑源性神经营养因子(BDNF)、血尿酸(UA)水平与老年帕金森病(PD)患者认知功能的相关性。方法选择2019年7月至2020年8月郑州市第九人民医院收治的52例PD患者作为研究对象,均进行受蒙特利尔认知评估量表评估,检测所有患者血清BDNF及UA水平,分析老年PD患者血清BDNF、UA水平与认知功能的相关性。结果将21例(40.38%,21/52)评分<26分的PD患者纳入认知功能障碍组,MoCA评分为(18.42±5.37)分;将31例(59.62%,31/52)评分≥26分的PD患者纳入认知正常组,MoCA评分为(27.12±1.85)分;认知障碍组血清BDNF及UA水平均高于认知正常组,差异有统计学意义(P <0.05)。经双变量Pearson直线相关检验结果显示,老年PD患者血清BDNF及UA水平与认知障碍呈正相关(r=0.838、0.727,P <0.05)。结论血清BDNF及UA水平与老年PD患者的关系密切,临床可针对两种指标进行监测,以为老年PD患者认知障碍的早期防治方案制定提供依据。     

Neuropsychologic and functional outcome after complicated mild traumatic brain injury

Kashluba S, Hanks RA, Casey JE, Millis SR. Neuropsychologic and functional outcome after complicated mild traumatic brain injury.

Objective

To investigate the extent to which neuropsychologic and functional outcome after complicated mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) parallels that of moderate TBI recovery.

Design

A longitudinal study comparing neuropsychologic and functional status of persons with complicated mild TBI and moderate TBI at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation and at 1 year postinjury.

Setting

Rehabilitation hospital with a Traumatic Brain Injury Model System.

Participants

Persons with complicated mild TBI (n=102), each with an intracranial brain lesion documented through neuroimaging and a highest Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score in the emergency department between 13 and 15, and 127 persons with moderate TBI.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

FIM instrument, Disability Rating Scale, Community Integration Questionnaire, Wechsler Memory Scale logical memory I and II, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Trail-Making Test, Controlled Oral Word Association Test, Symbol Digit Modalities Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and block design.

Results

Few differences in neuropsychologic performance existed between the TBI groups. Less severely impaired information processing speed and verbal learning were seen in the complicated mild TBI group at rehabilitation discharge and 1 year postinjury. Despite overall improvement across cognitive domains within the complicated mild TBI group, some degree of impairment remained at 1 year postinjury on those measures that had identified participants as impaired soon after injury. No differences on functional ability measures were found between the TBI groups at either time period postinjury, with both groups exhibiting incomplete recovery of functional status at the 1-year follow-up.

Conclusions

When classifying severity of TBI based on GCS scores, consideration of a moderate injury designation should be given to persons with an intracranial bleed and a GCS score between 13 and 15.     

Early versus later admission to postacute rehabilitation: impact on functional outcome after traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of participation in a postacute community reentry program on functional outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: Cohort, nonrandomized, intervention study. Pretest-posttest, follow-up design. SETTING: Nonprofit outpatient community reentry program affiliated with an inpatient rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Three groups of persons with moderate to severe TBI differing in length of time between injury and admission. The first group entered postacute rehabilitation within 6 months of injury (n=115); the second group, between 6 and 12 months (n=23); and the third group, greater than 12 months (n=29). INTERVENTIONS: Persons with TBI participated in a postacute community reentry program (average, 4.3mo) that emphasized (1) teaching compensatory strategies to address residual cognitive deficits; (2) arranging environmental supports to maximize functioning; (3) counseling and education to address personal and family adjustment and to improve accurate self-awareness; and (4) transition from simulated activities in the clinic to productive activities in the community. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Disability Rating Scale, Supervision Rating Scale, and the Community Integration Questionnaire. RESULTS: All groups showed improvements between admission and discharge on measures of overall disability, independence, home competency, and productivity, and these gains were maintained at follow-up. For the group beginning postacute rehabilitation the earliest (<6mo postinjury) independence continued to improve after discharge. Community integration total score and home competency also continued to improve even after discharge. CONCLUSIONS: The results point toward the effectiveness of postacute rehabilitation in improving functional outcome after TBI even for persons who have reached stable neurologic recovery at 12 or more months postinjury.     

Recovery of ambulation after traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVES: To identify variables that are predictive of independent ambulation after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to define the time course of recovery. DESIGN: Retrospective review of consecutive admissions of patients with severe TBI over a 32-month period. SETTING: Brain injury unit in an acute, inpatient rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Of 264 patients screened, 116 met criteria that included the ability to participate in motor and functional evaluation on admission to acute rehabilitation, and the absence of other neurologic disorders or fractures that affect one's ability to ambulate. INTERVENTION: Inpatient rehabilitation on a specialized TBI unit by an interdisciplinary team.Main outcome measures Recovery of independent ambulation and time to recover independent ambulation. RESULTS: Of eligible patients, 73.3% achieved independent ambulation by latest follow-up (up to 5.1 mo). Patients who achieved independent ambulation were significantly younger (P<.05), had better gait scores on admission (P<.05), and tended to be less severely injured-based on duration of posttraumatic amnesia (PTA; P=.058)-than those who did not ambulate independently. There were no differences in recovery based on neuropathologic profile. Mean time to independent ambulation +/- standard deviation was 5.7+/-4.3 weeks; of those achieving independent ambulation, 82.4% did so by 2 months and 94.1% by 3 months. If not independent by 3 months postinjury, patients had a 13.9% chance of recovery. Multivariate regression analysis generated prediction models for time to independent ambulation, using admission FIM instrument scores and age (38% of variance); initial gait score, loss of consciousness, and age (40% of variance); or initial gait score and PTA (58% of variance), when restricted to just those patients with diffuse axonal injury. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients with severe TBI achieved independent ambulation; the vast majority did so within 3 months postinjury. Functional measures, injury severity measures, and age can help guide prognosis and expectations for time to recover.     

Multidimensional assessment of acute confusion after traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVES: To describe the phenomenology of posttraumatic confusional state (PTCS) and to provide preliminary validation of a new procedure, the Confusion Assessment Protocol (CAP), for assessing PTCS. DESIGN: Criterion standard investigation. SETTING: Inpatient traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation program. PARTICIPANTS: Two consecutive series of patients (n=62, n=93) with TBI admitted for inpatient rehabilitation. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical diagnosis of delirium based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) criteria, classification of posttraumatic amnesia (PTA) based on the Galveston Orientation and Amnesia Test (GOAT), and Disability Rating Scale score at time of rehabilitation hospital discharge. Results Agreement between the diagnosis of PTCS with the CAP and DSM-IV classification of delirium was 87%, and agreement between PTCS and PTA using GOAT criteria was 90%. Patients classified as in PTCS sustained more severe injuries and required longer rehabilitation stays. Confusion status was associated with poorer functional status at rehabilitation discharge. CONCLUSIONS: The CAP is a brief, structured, repeatable measure of multiple neurobehavioral aspects of PTCS. Confusion status as determined by CAP assessment contributed to prediction of outcome at rehabilitation discharge after adjustment for other potential predictors.     

Community integration and satisfaction with functioning after intensive cognitive rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of an intensive cognitive rehabilitation program (ICRP) compared with standard neurorehabilitation (SRP) for persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: Nonrandomized controlled intervention trial. SETTING: Community-based, postacute outpatient brain injury rehabilitation program. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-six persons with TBI. INTERVENTIONS: Participants in ICRP (n=27) received an intensive, highly structured program of integrated cognitive and psychosocial interventions based on principles of holistic neuropsychologic rehabilitation. Participants in SRP (n=29) received comprehensive neurorehabilitation consisting primarily of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and neuropsychologic treatment. Duration of treatment was approximately 4 months for both interventions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ); and Quality of Community Integration Questionnaire assessing satisfaction with community functioning and satisfaction with cognitive functioning. Neuropsychologic functioning was evaluated for the ICRP participants. RESULTS: Both groups showed significant improvement on the CIQ, with the ICRP group exhibiting a significant treatment effect compared with the SRP group. Analysis of clinically significant improvement indicated that ICRP participants were over twice as likely to show clinical benefit on the CIQ (odds ratio=2.41; 95% confidence interval, 0.8-7.2). ICRP participants showed significant improvement in overall neuropsychologic functioning; participants with clinically significant improvement on the CIQ also showed greater improvement of neuropsychologic functioning. Satisfaction with community functioning was not related to community integration after treatment. Satisfaction with cognitive functioning made a significant contribution to posttreatment community integration; this finding may reflect the mediating effects of perceived self-efficacy on functional outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Intensive, holistic, cognitive rehabilitation is an effective form of rehabilitation, particularly for persons with TBI who have previously been unable to resume community functioning. Perceived self-efficacy may have significant impact on functional outcomes after TBI rehabilitation. Measures of social participation and subjective well-being appear to represent distinct and separable rehabilitation outcomes after TBI.     

Measuring medical complexity during inpatient rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVE: To compare the performance of 3 severity of illness (SOI) indices--the Comprehensive Severity Index (CSI), All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Groups Severity of Illness, case-mix group (CMG)--and 5 well-known neurologic parameters, as measures of medical complexity. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Inpatient rehabilitation center within a level I trauma center. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive traumatic brain injury (TBI) admissions (N=212). INTERVENTION: Acute inpatient TBI rehabilitation. CSI and neurologic parameters were scored by chart extraction. SOI was based on diagnosis codes by using 3M PC Grouper software, version 15. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Adjusted R 2 was used to predict rehabilitation charges as a proxy of medical complexity. RESULTS: The highest adjusted R 2 values for single variables predicting charges were: CMG .349, CSI .293, duration of posttraumatic amnesia .260. Adjusted R 2 values for the CMG combined with the CSI, 5 neurologic parameters, and SOI to predict charges were .446, .431, and .365, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The CMG was the best single predictor of rehabilitation charges for TBI. Predictive ability was better when the CMG was combined with the CSI or a combination of the 5 neurologic parameters. A severity index based on objective clinical findings rather than diagnostic codes may have distinct advantages for rehabilitation outcome studies and reimbursement methodology.     

Racial differences in employment outcomes after traumatic brain injury

Arango-Lasprilla JC, Ketchum JM, Williams K, Kreutzer JS, Marquez de la Plata CD, O'Neil-Pirozzi TM, Wehman P. Racial differences in employment outcomes after traumatic brain injury.

Objective

To examine racial differences in employment status and occupational status 1 year after a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Design

Retrospective study.

Setting

Longitudinal dataset of the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems national database.

Participants

Subjects with primarily moderate to severe TBI (3468 whites vs 1791 minorities) hospitalized between 1989 and 2005.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

Employment status (competitively employed or unemployed) and occupational status (professional/managerial, skilled, or manual labor) at 1 year postinjury.

Results

Race and/or ethnicity has a significant effect on employment status at 1 year postinjury (=58.23, P<.001), after adjusting for preinjury employment status, sex, Disability Rating Scale at discharge, marital status, cause of injury, age, and education. The adjusted odds of being unemployed versus competitively employed are 2.17 times (95% confidence interval, 1.78-2.65) greater for minorities than for whites. Race and ethnicity does not have a significant effect on occupational status at 1 year postinjury.

Conclusions

With this empirical evidence supporting racial differences in employment outcomes between minorities and whites at 1 year postinjury, priority should be given to tailoring interventions to maximize minority survivors' work-related productivity.     

Sex differences in injury severity and outcome measures after traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a patient's sex on various measures of injury severity and outcome after rehabilitation in a matched sample of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: Retrospective data were retrieved from a database that contains information routinely collected on all patients admitted for inpatient rehabilitation. SETTING: Inpatient rehabilitation unit of major teaching hospital in Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-four women with TBI after a motor vehicle crash (MVC) were identified from the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Database. An equal number of men were then matched for age and years of education. All subjects met the study admission criteria of having being involved in a high-speed MVC. Exclusion criteria included history of a previous head injury, chronic amnesia, psychiatric disturbance, and significant alcohol and/or substance abuse. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Differences, by sex, in patient scores on measures of injury severity and outcome after TBI. RESULTS: Men had significantly greater levels of injury severity as indicated by the Glasgow Coma Scale scores (U=994.0, P=.002) and length of posttraumatic amnesia (U=880.0, P=.016) when compared with women. No significant sex differences existed in the outcome measures or in injuries not associated with the central nervous system. CONCLUSIONS: Few investigations exist on the effect of patient sex on measures of injury severity and outcome after a TBI. In the present study, men's levels of injury severity were greater than women's despite the same admission criteria (high-speed MVC) being applied to both sexes.     

Awareness of behavioral, cognitive, and physical deficits in acute traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVE: To compare awareness of deficit in 3 domains of function (physical, cognitive, behavioral/emotional) in acute traumatic brain injury (TBI), controlling for severity of impairment in the different domains. DESIGN: Inception cohort. SETTING: Three inpatient rehabilitation programs. PARTICIPANTS: People with acute TBI (N=161), tested as soon as feasible after posttraumatic amnesia. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Awareness Questionnaire (AQ) completed by the person with TBI and the treating neuropsychologist; and self- and clinician-rating scores calculated in the 3 domains. RESULTS: For participants who were rated by clinicians as more impaired in at least 1 domain (ie, scored lower on the AQ), self-ratings differed significantly from one another in all 3 domains, with behavioral self-ratings highest, physical self-ratings lowest, and cognitive self-ratings intermediate. In subgroups of participants rated at the same level by clinicians in all 3 domains, physical self-ratings were also lowest, that is, more consonant with clinician ratings. Participants tended to rate themselves as relatively unchanged in cognitive and behavioral domains regardless of the level of clinician ratings on these factors. CONCLUSIONS: Patterns of discrepant awareness of deficit in different functional areas seen in postacute TBI also appear to be present acutely and are not entirely related to differential severity of deficit. We discuss several possible reasons for discrepant awareness of deficit, including differences in internal and external feedback, cultural and psychologic factors, and different levels of ambiguity inherent in causal explanations for different types of problems.