Integrating NeuroTrax and MRI for Post-TBI Cognitive Assessment

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause subtle cognitive deficits that are often challenging to detect with imaging alone. While MRI reveals structural damage, it may not capture a comprehensive view of impairments. Combining advanced neuropsychological testing like NeuroTrax with MRI offers a comprehensive approach to assessment.

NeuroTrax is a clinically focused web-based testing platform for evaluating multiple domains (e.g., memory, attention, executive function, processing speed). Its standardized scores can reveal mild deficits, making it valuable in clinical and legal contexts. For example, a patient with mild TBI may show no obvious abnormalities on structural imaging, however NeuroTrax testing can reveal measurable declines in processing speed or executive function. These insights can validate patient symptoms, guide treatment planning, and provide objective evidence in litigation or compensation cases.

Additionally, embedded in the NeuroTrax platform is an algorithm to assess effort and detect negative response bias (NRB), which can distort testing results. Validated in TBI populations, this algorithm demonstrates high sensitivity (87.5%) and specificity (98%), correctly classifying 94% of cases as genuine effort or malingered effort. This ensures the reliability of cognitive data, particularly in a litigation context.

MRI provides insight into brain structure and activity, but NeuroTrax can provide additional findings of deficits. Combining NeuroTrax’s quantitative assessment with MRI enhances diagnostic accuracy, especially in cases where structural imaging is inconclusive. NeuroTrax includes effort-validation tools that enhance the trustworthiness of cognitive results. This integrated approach guides targeted rehabilitation and provides robust evidence in medical-legal evaluations.

Ultimately, leveraging NeuroTrax's domain-specific tests alongside MRI offers a powerful, comprehensive method for assessing the complex effects of TBI, supporting clinical decision making enabling precise diagnosis and tailored intervention strategies.

Interested in how NeuroTrax can complement MRI to improve post-TBI assessment and rehabilitation? Contact us to learn more about integrating these tools into your practice.

References:

• Bar-Hen, M., Doniger, G.M., Golzad, M., Geva, N., and Schweiger, A. (2015). Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 37, 1086–1097. PMID: 26327146
• Doniger, G.M., Simon, E.S., and Schweiger, A. (2008). Applied Neuropsychology, 15, 250–263. PMID: 19023742
• Silverberg, N.D., Iverson, G.L., and ACRM Brain Injury Special Interest Group Mild TBI Task Force members. (2023). Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 104, 1343–1355. PMID: 37211140