Divided attention and mental effort after severe traumatic brain injury

Mental fatigue and impaired cognitive function after an acquired brain injury

“…This finding is in accordance with other studies proposing that subjective fatigue after TBI and stroke correlates with poor performance on single tests for attention and processing speed (Ziino and Ponsford, 2006a,b; Belmont et al., 2009; Azouvi et al., 2004; Ashman et al., 2008; Johansson et al., 2009; Park et al., 1999; Ponsford et al., 2011; Johansson & Rönnbäck, 2012). However, it is difficult to determine whether the impairment in cognitive function is due to fatigue or the injury per se or a combination of the two.…”

“…The coping hypothesis has been supported by several authors (Belmont, Agar, Hugeron, Gallais, & Azouvi, 2006; Ziino and Ponsford, 2006a,b; Belmont, Agar, & Azouvi, 2009). Azouvi and co‐authors proposed that mentally‐tiring activities after brain injury are attributable to reduced resources and that patients who have sustained a brain injury also describe mental activity as more energy demanding than healthy people (Azouvi et al., 2004). In an assessment of decreased cognitive function combined with mental fatigue, it has been proposed that subjective fatigue after TBI or mild TBI correlates with poor performance in attention tests and reduced processing speed (Ziino and Ponsford, 2006a,b; Belmont et al., 2009; Azouvi et al., 2004; Ashman et al., 2008; Johansson, Berglund, & Rönnbäck, 2009; Park, Moscovich, & Robertson, 1999; Ponsford, Cameron, Fitzgerald, Grant, & Mikocka‐Walus, 2011).…”

“…Azouvi and co‐authors proposed that mentally‐tiring activities after brain injury are attributable to reduced resources and that patients who have sustained a brain injury also describe mental activity as more energy demanding than healthy people (Azouvi et al., 2004). In an assessment of decreased cognitive function combined with mental fatigue, it has been proposed that subjective fatigue after TBI or mild TBI correlates with poor performance in attention tests and reduced processing speed (Ziino and Ponsford, 2006a,b; Belmont et al., 2009; Azouvi et al., 2004; Ashman et al., 2008; Johansson, Berglund, & Rönnbäck, 2009; Park, Moscovich, & Robertson, 1999; Ponsford, Cameron, Fitzgerald, Grant, & Mikocka‐Walus, 2011). A group of individuals who had sustained a TBI performed more slowly on a complex attention test, made more errors, and reported a higher level of subjective fatigue (Ziino and Ponsford, 2006a).…”

“…Moreover, a simultaneous load on working memory requiring total control of the situation was more tiring for TBI subjects than an automatic activity (Park et al., 1999). After a severe TBI, subjects showed an increase in reaction time during a dual‐task activity, and they reported an increase in subjective mental effort (Azouvi et al., 2004). Patients with self‐reported fatigue after a severe TBI performed less well than controls on a selective attention test.…”

Evaluation of the Mental Fatigue Scale and its relation to Cognitive and Emotional Functioning after Traumatic Brain Injury or Stroke

“…Both slower speed and less accuracy in a selective attention task were recorded after severe TBI and a correlation was found between attention performance, subjective fatigue and subjective mental effort [42]. Azouvi and co-authors proposed that mentally-tiring activities after brain injury are related to reduced resources and that patients with brain injury also describe mental activity as more energy-demanding than healthy subjects [43]. TBI subjects also performed slower on a complex attention test, made more errors and reported a higher level of subjective fatigue [44].…”