Short-term persistence of oculomotor rehabilitative changes in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI): A pilot study of clinical effects

Abstract

Primary objective: In our earlier published studies, oculomotor therapy (OMT) was performed in 15 individuals with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and over 90% of the clinical oculomotor parameters abnormal at baseline significantly improved immediately following the OMT. There was no placebo (P) effect on any of the parameters. The purpose of the present pilot study was to assess the short-term persistence of the previously obtained positive OMT findings.

Research design: Upon completion of the OMT, clinical oculomotor parameters were re-assessed at 3-month and 6-month periods. No subsequent training was performed during this 6-month period.

Methods and procedures: Clinical measures were repeated in eight of the 15 subjects who subsequently completed both the 3-month and 6-month follow-up assessments. All measures were assessed using conventional clinical testing methods.

Main outcomes and results: Eight of the 13 (62%) clinical oculomotor parameters exhibited either persistence of, or delayed, improvement at the 3 and 6 month follow-up intervals.

Conclusions: Findings demonstrate both the presence and persistence of oculomotor-based changes, suggestive of neural plasticity even in the adult, compromised brain. Further studies are warranted to confirm and extend the present pilot findings.

• Acquired brain injury
• clinical effects
• eye movements
• oculomotor rehabilitation
• oculomotor system
• traumatic brain injury
• vision rehabilitation
• vision therapy

Acknowledgement

We thank our study participants for their time and cooperation.

Declaration of interest

This study was sponsored by the US Army DoD TATRC (Proposal #: 11258003), Grant #: W81XWH-12-1-0240.