The purpose of this study is to determine whether exercise or exercise with enrichment is beneficial in individuals who previously had a head injury. The enrichment will consist of a cultural educational program that will include ethnic food, music, slides and a talk. A series of tests that measure mental function and balance will be done before and after the exercise or the exercise/enrichment program will be done to measure efficacy.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in long-lasting physical and cognitive deficits. The purpose of this study is to determine whether exercise or exercise with enrichment is beneficial in individuals who previously had a head injury. The environmental enrichment will consist of a cultural educational program that will include ethnic food, music, slides and a talk on 8 different cultures. Individuals will be evaluated using neuropsychological and physical tests before and after the intervention. Testing will consist of Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), Trailmaking Test (TMT), Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT), Quality of Life in Brain Injury Questionnaire (QOLIBRI), 10 meter walk, and the NIH Toolbox Standing Balance Test. Initial testing will include the Disability Rating Scale to help balance groups (after random assignment) in terms of baseline ability. In rodents, exercise or an enriched environment after TBI improve cognitive function and motor function and the combination results in even greater improvement. The mechanism of cognitive improvement from exercise or environmental enrichment relates to increases in brain derived neurotrophic factor and neurogenesis in the hippocampus. An additional possible mechanism of the positive effects of exercise or enrichment is a reduction in inflammation. Our hypothesis is that exercise or exercise with enrichment will result in better motor performance and improved cognitive ability.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
42
Exercise intervention will consist of 8 exercise classes and exercises at home. A booklet will be given to each person that has a description and photograph of each exercise that designed to work on core strength and balance.
People will be tested up to 40 weeks after beginning the intervention.
Exercise and enrichment will consist of the same exercise program described for the exercise intervention. The enrichment protocol consisting of cultural educational program will take place during the exercises and breaks for this group.
Oakwood Heritage
Taylor, Michigan, United States
Trail Making Part B
Trail Making test is a measure of visual conceptual and visuomotor tracking, attention, and maintenance of cognitive set-shifting that is known to be highly sensitive to brain damage.
Time frame: Change from Baseline at 9 weeks.
Quality of Life in Brain Injury Questionnaire
Quality of Life in Brain Injury Questionnaire is a thirty-seven question self-reported measure of overall patient health.
Time frame: Change from Baseline at 9 weeks.
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