Baker Julie M, Good Dawn E
Neuropsychology Cognitive Research Laboratory, Department of Psychology and.
Brain Inj. 2014;28(1):51-65. doi: 10.3109/02699052.2013.857787.
This study examined the potential emotional sequelae following self-reported mild head injury (MHI; e.g. 'altered state of consciousness' [ASC]) in university students with a particular focus on arousal status and responsivity to experimental manipulation of arousal.
A quasi-experimental design (n = 91) was used to examine arousal status (self-reported and physiological indices) and response to manipulated arousal (i.e. induced psychosocial stress/activation; reduced activation/relaxation) between persons who acknowledged prior MHI and persons with no-MHI.
University students who self-reported MHI were physiologically under-aroused and less responsive to stressors (both laboratory and environmental) compared to their no-MHI cohort. Those with reported loss of consciousness demonstrated the most attenuated emotional arousal responses (i.e. flattened electrodermal responsivity) relative to those with only a reported ASC, followed by those with no-MHI.
The under-arousal in traumatic brain injury has been hypothesized to be associated with ventromedial prefrontal cortex disruption. This under-arousal may be mirrored in persons who self-report experiencing subtle head trauma. Students who reported MHI may be less able to physiologically respond and/or cognitively appraise stressful experiences as compared to their no-MHI cohort; and experience subtle persistent consequences despite the subtle nature of the reported head trauma.
本研究调查了大学生自我报告轻度头部损伤（MHI；例如“意识改变状态”[ASC]）后潜在的情绪后遗症，特别关注觉醒状态以及对觉醒实验性操作的反应性。
采用准实验设计（n = 91），以检查承认有既往MHI的人与无MHI的人之间的觉醒状态（自我报告和生理指标）以及对操纵觉醒的反应（即诱发的心理社会应激/激活；减少激活/放松）。
自我报告有MHI的大学生在生理上觉醒不足，与无MHI的同龄人相比，对压力源（包括实验室和环境压力源）的反应性较低。报告有过意识丧失的人相对于仅报告有ASC的人以及无MHI的人，表现出最减弱的情绪觉醒反应（即皮肤电反应性平坦）。
创伤性脑损伤中的觉醒不足被假设与腹内侧前额叶皮质破坏有关。这种觉醒不足可能在自我报告经历过轻微头部创伤的人身上有所体现。与无MHI的同龄人相比，报告有MHI的学生可能在生理上对压力经历的反应能力和/或认知评估能力较低；并且尽管报告的头部创伤性质轻微，但仍会经历细微的持续后果。
