Date of Award

Spring 2015

Major

Neuroscience

First Advisor

Sarah Raskin

Second Advisor

Elizabeth Casserly

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between executive functions and prospective memory in a group of fifteen acquired brain injury (ABI) survivors. Differences in executive function and prospective memory were compared between an independent group of survivors that required no daily assistance and a dependent group that required a full time aid or lived in a facility. Overall, nine independent and six dependent survivors were tested on a series of executive function tests including the Executive Function Performance Test (EFPT), the Stroop Color Word Interference Test and the Trail Making Test. The EFPT showed significant differences between groups on speed of making a telephone call, accuracy on the medication management task and overall accuracy on the four tests. The groups showed significant differences on speed and accuracy of the Stroop test as well as speed on the Trail Making Test. On tests of prospective memory, the independent and dependent groups did not perform differently on the Memory for Intentions Screening Test (MIST); however, significant differences were identified on the return of a Prospective Memory Diary. Correlations were found between executive function and prospective memory measures. Prospective memory from the MIST predicted executive function ability on the time of EFPT task two. Results of this study suggest that survivors who are unable to live independently experience more executive function deficits that impact daily functioning. However, due to the difficulty with recruitment, the number of individuals would have to be expanded to further understand the relationship between executive function and prospective memory between the groups.

Comments

Senior thesis completed at Trinity College for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience.

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