Kessler Foundation Receives Grant to Study Cognitive Reserve in Traumatic Brain Injury

2011-11-26 21:05:18 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Three-year grant from New Jersey Commission on TBI Research totals $379,000

West Orange, NJ. November 29, 2011. Denise Krch, PhD, and James Sumowski, PhD, research scientists in the Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Laboratory at Kessler Foundation, received a $379,000 grant to study cognitive reserve in people with traumatic brain injury. The grant was awarded by the New Jersey Commission on Traumatic Brain Injury Research. Drs. Krch and Sumowski will investigate the impact of cognitive reserve on thinking, learning, and memory after traumatic brain injury.

The study is based on the theory of cognitive reserve, ie, that people who have mentally active lifestyles are less likely to experience the cognitive decline associated with various brain diseases. Research conducted at Kessler Foundation, which is known for cognitive rehabilitation research, has shown this theory to be well supported in individuals with multiple sclerosis, many of whom experience cognitive symptoms. This grant enables researchers to test this theory in individuals with traumatic brain injury.

“We anticipate that knowledge gained from this study will enable us to better predict which individuals with brain injury are at risk for cognitive decline,” said Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, director of Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research at Kessler Foundation, “and develop strategies that reduce their risk for cognitive problems.” Dr. Chiaravalloti is a co-investigator on the study, along with research scientists Glenn Wylie, DPhil, and Jean Lengenfelder, PhD, also of Kessler Foundation.

About Kessler Foundation

Kessler Foundation is the largest public charity in the field of disability. Kessler Foundation Research Center advances care through rehabilitation research in its six specialized laboratories under the leadership of noted research directors. Research focuses on improving function and quality of life for persons with injuries of the spinal cord and brain, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and other chronic neurological conditions. Kessler Foundation Program Center fosters new approaches to the persistently high rates of unemployment among people disabled by injury or disease. Targeted grant making funds promising programs across the nation. Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, people recovering from catastrophic injuries and stroke, and young adults striving for independence are among the thousands of people finding jobs and training for careers as a result of the commitment of Kessler Foundation.

Contact: Carolann Murphy, PA; 973.324.8382; [email protected]

Lauren Scrivo, 973.324.8384; [email protected]

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