Abnormal Dynamic Visual Function and Associated Symptomatology in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Abstract
This project directly addresses the Focus Area Visual dysfunction as related to a military-relevant traumatic event and will address the critical gaps in the understanding of the visual symptoms and corresponding vision-related deficits that individuals with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) suffer. This project is important because TBI is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States, and the incidence of TBI among military members has increased since 2000. TBI is characterized as mild, moderate, and severe based upon neurological complications of the injury. While the term mild is used to classify the severity of the injury, mild does not classify the severity of symptoms as many individuals with mTBI have prolonged and often debilitating symptoms that may last weeks, months, and even years. Many individuals with mTBI have vision symptoms such as reading difficulties, blurred or double vision, difficulty switching focus from near to far, sensitivity to light, discomfort in busy and dynamic environments, and difficulty maintaining attention to objects and tasks. Eye teaming and eye focusing disorders are the most common vision deficits reported after mTBI, but it is unlikely that these deficits account for the number and severity of vision symptoms, particularly symptoms related to visual motion sensitivity and visual discomfort in busy and dynamic environments. In addition to vision disorders, individuals may also suffer from vestibular and balance problems. The visual and vestibular systems are closely related and the addition of a vestibular or balance problem oftentimes results in an increase in vision symptoms, including movement-related dizziness and blurred vision. When individuals have both vision and vestibular deficits, they would not only be symptomatic to moving objects, but they would also have additional symptoms as they move their head while trying to fixate on stationary objects. In addition to it being more difficult for individuals with mTBI when they have vision and vestibular and balance problems, it is also more difficult for doctors to treat and scientists to study because the two systems have overlapping symptoms and because each system influences how the other system works. This research is novel because we will be the first research group to obtain objective measures of eye teaming, eye focusing, and the vestibular system functions and correlate those functions to symptom severity and symptom provocation in the same participants. This will uncover intricate details of the eye teaming, focusing, and vestibular systems, and their interactions that may otherwise go undetected by investigating each system individually with different participants. The results of this study will help individuals with mTBI who have symptoms related to vision disorders, the doctors who treat them, and the scientists that study mTBI and associated vision disorders. Clinically, these findings will help to refine and improve our diagnostic and treatment protocols that will directly help individuals who suffer from mTBI. Scientifically, these findings will lay the groundwork for future studies in understanding the scientific bases of visual deficits in mTBI.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 05, 2021
- Source ID
- W81XWH2110961
Entities
People
- Tawna Roberts
Organizations
- Stanford University
- United States Army