Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2012

Mentor:           Darryl K. Miles, M.D.           
Department: Pediatrics     
Room number: C 11.204   
Mail Code:     9063  
Phone number:        214 456-7969
E-mail:           darryl.miles@utsouthwestern.edu          
Project title:   Long-term cognitive sequelae after traumatic brain injury in children         

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): 122010-110

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): 

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects)

patient-based

Brief Description of Project:  The developing brain is considered to be more “plastic” than adults and contain an augmented potential for self-repair, but there is little data to support this theory.  We are currently collecting demographic and acute injury data in a prospective study of children with moderate and severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) at Children’s Medical Center Dallas. We have prospectively collected data on injury severity, hospital course and neuropsychological outcome measures in over 100 children ages 0-13.

This project will involve utilizing data from the medical record and TBI database to examine how children who sustain brain injury function in various neuro-cogntive domains such as IQ, learning and memory, language and adaptive skills 6-18 months after TBI. Students may also participate in monthly brain injury meetings and long-term testing sessions.  Statistical analysis will be performed to correlate degree of injury based on early clinical injury markers with neuro-cognitive domains.  Data from this will be used to understand how traumatic brain injury affects the developing brain and help to target specific therapies for improving outcome

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

Emily Smitherman – Outstanding Medical Student Poster Award, National Neurotramua Symposium Las Vages, NV.  Quantitative MRI Lesion Volume Analysis Predicts Long-Term Functional Outcome After Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury