Verbal retrieval deficits due to traumatic brain injury are associated with changes in event related potentials during a Go-NoGo task

Hsueh-Sheng Chiang; Michael Motes; Borna Afkhami-Rohani; Ashna Adhikari; Christian LoBue; Michael Kraut; C Munro Cullum; John Hart Jr

doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2024.04.002

Verbal retrieval deficits due to traumatic brain injury are associated with changes in event related potentials during a Go-NoGo task

Clin Neurophysiol. 2024 Apr 16:163:1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.04.002. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Hsueh-Sheng Chiang¹, Michael Motes², Borna Afkhami-Rohani³, Ashna Adhikari⁴, Christian LoBue⁵, Michael Kraut⁶, C Munro Cullum⁷, John Hart Jr⁸

Affiliations

¹ University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Neurology, USA; The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, USA. Electronic address: hschiang@utdallas.edu.
² The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, USA. Electronic address: michael.motes@utdallas.edu.
³ The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, USA. Electronic address: borna.afkhami-rohani@utdallas.edu.
⁴ The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, USA. Electronic address: ashna.adhikari@utdallas.edu.
⁵ University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, USA; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, USA. Electronic address: christian.lobue@utsouthwestern.edu.
⁶ The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, USA. Electronic address: mkraut1@jh.edu.
⁷ University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Neurology, USA; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, USA; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, USA. Electronic address: munro.cullum@utsouthwestern.edu.
⁸ University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Neurology, USA; The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, USA; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, USA. Electronic address: jhart@utdallas.edu.

PMID: 38663098
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.04.002

Abstract

Objective: Verbal retrieval (VR) deficits often occur after traumatic brain injury (TBI), but the mechanisms remain unclear. We examined how event-related potentials (ERPs) during a Go-NoGo task were associated with VR deficits.

Methods: Sixty veterans with a history of TBI underwent a neuropsychological battery and a Go-NoGo task with concurrent EEG recording. We compared task performance and ERP measures (N2, P3) between those with and those without persistent injury-related VR deficits. We then used generalized linear modeling to examine the relationship between ERP measures and scores on measures of executive function and processing speed.

Results: Go-NoGo task performance was comparable between the groups. Those with VR deficits had larger N2 amplitude in NoGo than in Go conditions. In participants with VR deficits, larger NoGo N2/P3 amplitude predicted faster processing speed. Furthermore, larger P3 amplitude and shorter P3 latency of the difference wave (NoGo - Go) predicted faster processing speed in those with VR deficits.

Conclusions: Despite no difference in Go-NoGo task performance, ERP amplitude and latency measures associated with cognitive control during Go-NoGo distinguished TBI individuals with VR deficits from those without.

Significance: This study furthers our understanding of VR deficits in TBI and implicates potential application of ERP measures in monitoring and treating such deficits.

Keywords: EEG; ERP; Go-NoGo task; N2; N200; P3; P300; TBI; Verbal retrieval; Veterans; Word finding.