Outcome
Type |
Measure |
Description |
Time frame |
Safety issue |
Primary |
Online Spatial Navigation Intervention Test Scores: Change in Spatial Learning Ability |
Participants complete online spatial navigation training 5 days per week for 16 weeks. Improvement in spatial learning ability will be assessed based on the accuracy of answers to questions regarding the reproduction of spatial elements, the direction and proximity of certain landmarks, and describing the most efficient route from point A to point B. Improvement will be assessed at the end of each week and at the end of the intervention. The raw scores range from 0-15, with higher scores indicating better spatial learning ability. |
Time-point 1: 7 months post-injury and Time-point 2: 12 months post-injury |
|
Primary |
Online Spatial Navigation Intervention Test Scores: Change in Cognitive Map Formation |
Participants complete online spatial navigation training 5 days per week for 16 weeks. Improvement in cognitive map formation will be assessed based on the number of trails required by the participant to learn landmark placements and based on the accuracy of the participant's navigation to a specific destination. The raw scores range from 1-21 and 0-10, respectively. A decrease in the number of trials required by the participant and an increase in navigation accuracy both correspond to an improvement in cognitive map formation. |
Time-point 1: 7 months post-injury and Time-point 2: 12 months post-injury |
|
Primary |
Online Spatial Navigation Intervention Test Scores: Change in Pattern Separation |
Measurement of pattern separation abilities are assessed in a task requiring the participant to differentiate memories in order to prevent interference from overlapping details. The following three variables are taken into account: i) percent correct ii) the discriminating value and iii) bias metric. Percent correct and bias metric are given as a percentage values (e.g., 80.63%) and the discriminating variable is given as a raw rate (e.g., 0.67). An improvement in pattern separation abilities are determined by an increase in percent correct and discrimination values from pre- to post-intervention. An increase in bias metric from pre- to post-intervention reflects an increased tendency for pattern separation. |
Time-point 1: 7 months post-injury and Time-point 2: 12 months post-injury |
|
Primary |
Online Spatial Navigation Intervention Test Scores: Change in Pattern Completion |
Measurement of pattern completion abilities are assessed in a task designed to probe pattern completion by presenting partial retrieval cues at different levels of degradation. The following variables are taken into account: i) accuracy for learned stimuli given as a percentage value (i.e., correctly selecting the name of the scene) ii) accuracy for new stimuli given as a percentage value (i.e., correctly indicating the stimuli is novel) and iii) bias measure. The bias measure is obtained by subtracting the learned stimuli accuracy score from the new stimuli accuracy score. An increase for both accuracy measures from pre- to post-intervention corresponds to improvement on recognition memory. An increase in bias measure reflects an increased tendency for pattern separation. |
Time-point 1: 7 months post-injury and Time-point 2: 12 months post-injury |
|
Secondary |
Neuronal injury biomarker predictors in serum and plasma samples |
The investigators will be analysing biomarkers in serum and plasma samples in relation to traumatic brain injuries. This will allow the investigators to generate hypotheses concerning the relationship between blood biomarkers and neuronal injury. Serum neurofilament light chains (NF-L), total tau, amyloid ß-40 and amyloid ß-42 will be assayed using Quanterix reagents on the Simoa HD-1 platform. |
Time-point 1: 7 months post-injury and Time-point 2: 12 months post-injury |
|
Secondary |
Gliosis and inflammation biomarker predictors in serum samples |
The investigators will be analysing biomarkers in serum samples in relation to gliosis and inflammation. This will allow the investigators to generate hypotheses concerning the relationship between blood biomarkers and neuroimmune response. Serum monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) will be assayed using MesoScale Discovery reagents on the Sector S600 platform and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) will be assayed using Quanterix reagents on the Simoa HD-1 platform. |
Time-point 1: 7 months post-injury and Time-point 2: 12 months post-injury |
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