PETER MORGANE RESEARCH FELLOW, JORDAN LEMME, COM ’21, RECOUNTS EXPERIENCE AT RECENT CONFERENCE ON BRAIN INJURIES
COM student, Jordan Lemme, COM '21 presents research in Toronto
Over spring break, COM Student Jordan Lemme, COM '21 attended the 13th International World Congress on Brain Injury in Toronto, Ontario in southeastern Canada. Student Doctor Lemme presented research entitled, "Evaluating Post-Traumatic Headaches in patients with mTBI in the acute and chronic settings: Resting-State fMRI identifies unique network changes." His research was funded in part by the Peter Morgane Research Fellowship, a UNE COM program that funds research opportunities for current students.
Can you tell me a little more about what you discovered in your research, and what you hope to gain from your experience at Boston Children's Hospital?
Summary: The aim of the study was to evaluate Functional Connectivity (FC) Resting-State Networks within a mainly pediatric population that suffered a recent mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and subsequently developed post-traumatic headaches (PTH)s. Patients either acutely resolved (<3 months) or had persistent headaches >3 months post mTBI. Results showed unique Functional Networks with corresponding structural transformations. In the future fMRI might aid the physician as a prognostic factor in order to determine return to school/return to play protocols for pediatric population after a mTBI.
Results: Previous mTBI literature has shown changes within the Default Mode Resting State Network. However, to date, no study has compared differences in FC networks between Resolved (R-PTH) and Persistent (P-PTH)s. Left Hippocampus-Precuneus network increased in connectivity for both R-PTH and P-PTH compared to Healthy Controls. Structural size increased in the Left Hemisphere Precuneus for R-PTH and bilateral increases in P-PTH. Insula-Middle Frontal Gyrus decreased network connectivity for Controls and P-PTH. R-PTH showed a statistically significant less decrease in network connectivity. Structural changes were observed in P-PTH with decrease size of Insular Cortex. Insular cortex increased size in the R-PTH cohort.
Discussion: Insula- Middle Frontal gyrus may show a compensatory response in R-PTH and it could correlate with an increased structural size. Left Hippocampus-Precuneus shows an increase in FC and correlates with an increase in structural size for both concussion groups.
My experience at BCH has been amazing and extremely insightful. Besides adding the research to my residency application, it has provided me the opportunities to meet and connect with many physicians.