Study to improve cognitive recovery after mild traumatic brain injury receives $2.5M

Kati Pagulayan, PhD and Rhonda Williams, PhD, ABPP-RP of the University of Washington have received a $2.5 million grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) to evaluate a new rehabilitation intervention for individuals experiencing chronic cognitive difficulties after a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The project, titled "A Comparison of Two Interventions for Chronic Cognitive Difficulties After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury," will run for five years. Dr. Pagulayan is an associate professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine while Dr. Williams is a professor in the department as well as a clinician investigator at VA Puget Sound.  

The study will assess the effectiveness of an innovative intervention called On-TRACC (Tools for Recovery and Clinical Care) compared to a mTBI psychoeducation program. The goal is to determine which approach better reduces post-concussive symptoms, enhances cognitive strategy use, and improves overall well-being in individuals with chronic cognitive difficulties after mTBI.

Researchers will track participants’ progress immediately after treatment, as well as at three- and six-months post-treatment. The study will also examine how On-TRACC influences long-term healthcare engagement and identify patient characteristics that may predict better responses to the intervention, which could help tailor future treatments.

The results from this project are expected to contribute to the development of more effective rehabilitation strategies for individuals recovering from mTBI.