Key result
Spinal cord injury was associated with significantly poorer cognitive performance on the PASAT and altered cardiovascular autonomic responses compared with uninjured controls.
Why the study?
The study was conducted to examine associations among psychological well-being, injury characteristics, cardiovascular autonomic nervous system control, and cognitive performance in persons with spinal cord injury compared with age-matched uninjured controls.
Cross-Sectional (n=94)
Spinal cord injury is associated with altered cardiovascular autonomic responses and poorer cognitive performance compared to uninjured controls, with anxiety levels relating to cognitive scores.
SCI cognitive deficits link to anxiety but not ANS changes; leaves open causal mechanisms and intervention targets.
PURPOSE: To examine associations between parameters of psychological well-being, injury characteristics, cardiovascular autonomic nervous system (ANS) control, and cognitive performance in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) compared with age-matched uninjured controls. This is an observational, cross-sectional study including a total of 94 participants (52 with SCI and 42 uninjured controls: UIC). Cardiovascular ANS responses were continuously monitored at rest and during administration of the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT). Self-report scores on the SCI-Quality of Life questionnaires are reported for depression, anxiety, fatigue, resilience, and positive affect. Participants with SCI performed significantly more poorly on the PASAT compared with the uninjured controls. Although not statistically significant, participants with SCI tended to report more psychological distress and less well-being than the uninjured controls. In addition, when compared with uninjured controls, the cardiovascular ANS responses to testing were significantly altered in participants with SCI; however, these responses to testing did not predict PASAT performance. Self-reported levels of anxiety were significantly related to PASAT score in the SCI group, but there was no significant relationship between PASAT and the other indices of SCI-Quality of Life. Future investigations should more closely examine the relationship among cardiovascular ANS impairments, psychological disorders, and cognitive dysfunction to better elucidate the underpinnings of these deficits and to guide interventions aimed at improving physiological, psychological, and cognitive health after SCI. Tetraplegia, paraplegia, blood pressure variability, cognitive, mood.
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Wecht et al. (2023) conducted a cross-sectional in Spinal cord injury (n=94). Spinal cord injury vs. Uninjured controls was evaluated on Cognitive performance (PASAT) and cardiovascular autonomic nervous system responses. Spinal cord injury was associated with significantly poorer cognitive performance on the PASAT and altered cardiovascular autonomic responses compared with uninjured controls.
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