Placebo-Controlled Trial of Familiar Auditory Sensory Training for Acute Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Preliminary Report Journal Article

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Authors: Pape, T. L.; Rosenow, J. M.; Steiner, M.; Parrish, T.; Guernon, A.; Harton, B.; Patil, V.; Bhaumik, D. K.; McNamee, S.; Walker, M.; Froehlich, K.; Burress, C.; Odle, C.; Wang, X; Herrold, A. A.; Zhao, W; Reda, D; Mallinson, T.; Conneely, M.; Nemeth, A. J.
Article Title: Placebo-Controlled Trial of Familiar Auditory Sensory Training for Acute Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Preliminary Report
Abstract: Background. Sensory stimulation is often provided to persons incurring severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), but therapeutic effects are unclear. Objective. This preliminary study investigated neurobehavioral and neurophysiological effects related to sensory stimulation on global neurobehavioral functioning, arousal, and awareness. Methods. A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial where 15 participants in states of disordered consciousness (DOC), an average of 70 days after TBI, were provided either the Familiar Auditory Sensory Training (FAST) or Placebo of silence. Global neurobehavioral functioning was measured with the Disorders of Consciousness Scale (DOCS). Arousal and awareness were measured with the Coma-Near-Coma (CNC) scale. Neurophysiological effect was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Results. FAST (n = 8) and Placebo (n = 7) groups each showed neurobehavioral improvement. Mean DOCS change (FAST = 13.5, SD = 8.2; Placebo = 18.9, SD = 15.6) was not different, but FAST patients had significantly (P = .049; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -1.51, -.005) more CNC gains (FAST = 1.01, SD = 0.60; Placebo = 0.25, SD = 0.70). Mixed-effects models confirm CNC findings (P = .002). Treatment effect, based on CNC, is large (d = 1.88, 95% CI = 0.77, 3.00). Number needed to treat is 2. FAST patients had more fMRI activation in language regions and whole brain (P values .05) resembling healthy controls' activation. Conclusions. For persons with DOC 29 to 170 days after TBI, FAST resulted in CNC gains and increased neural responsivity to vocal stimuli in language regions. Clinicians should consider providing the FAST to support patient engagement in neurorehabilitation.
Journal Title: Neurorehabilitation and neural repair
Volume: 29
Issue: 6
ISSN: 1552-6844; 1545-9683
Publisher: Unknown  
Date Published: 2015
Start Page: 537
End Page: 547
Language: ENG
DOI/URL:

1545968314554626
Notes: LR: 20150124; CI: (c) The Author(s) 2015; JID: 100892086; OTO: NOTNLM; aheadofprint