Deficits in multiple object-tracking and visual attention following mild traumatic brain injury

Abstract Difficulty in the ability to allocate and maintain visual attention is frequently reported by patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). In the present study, we used a multiple object tracking (MOT) task to investigate the degree to which TBI affects the allocation and maintenance of visu...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mohammed M Alnawmasi, Sieu K. Khuu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2022-08-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18163-2
_version_ 1811215912392458240
author Mohammed M Alnawmasi
Sieu K. Khuu
author_facet Mohammed M Alnawmasi
Sieu K. Khuu
author_sort Mohammed M Alnawmasi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Difficulty in the ability to allocate and maintain visual attention is frequently reported by patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). In the present study, we used a multiple object tracking (MOT) task to investigate the degree to which TBI affects the allocation and maintenance of visual attention to multiple moving targets. Fifteen adults with mild TBI and 20 control participants took part in this study. All participants were matched for age, gender, and IQ. The sensitivity and time taken to perform the MOT task were measured for different conditions in which the duration of the tracking, number of target, and distractor dots were systematically varied. When the number of target dots required to be tracked increased, sensitivity in correctly detecting them decreased for both groups but was significantly greater for patients with mild TBI. Similarly, increasing the number of distractor dots had a greater effect on reducing task sensitivity for patients with mild TBI than control participants. Finally, across all conditions, poorer detection performance was observed for patients with mild TBI when the tracking duration was longer compared to control participants. The present study showed that patients with mild TBI have greater deficits (compared to control participants) in their ability to maintain visual attention on tracking multiple moving objects, which was particularly hindered by increased tracking load and distraction.
first_indexed 2024-04-12T06:30:09Z
format Article
id doaj.art-5060bc562a0d4d5a9f89e0949f647fe6
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2045-2322
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-12T06:30:09Z
publishDate 2022-08-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj.art-5060bc562a0d4d5a9f89e0949f647fe62022-12-22T03:44:02ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-08-0112111410.1038/s41598-022-18163-2Deficits in multiple object-tracking and visual attention following mild traumatic brain injuryMohammed M Alnawmasi0Sieu K. Khuu1School of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of New South WalesSchool of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of New South WalesAbstract Difficulty in the ability to allocate and maintain visual attention is frequently reported by patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). In the present study, we used a multiple object tracking (MOT) task to investigate the degree to which TBI affects the allocation and maintenance of visual attention to multiple moving targets. Fifteen adults with mild TBI and 20 control participants took part in this study. All participants were matched for age, gender, and IQ. The sensitivity and time taken to perform the MOT task were measured for different conditions in which the duration of the tracking, number of target, and distractor dots were systematically varied. When the number of target dots required to be tracked increased, sensitivity in correctly detecting them decreased for both groups but was significantly greater for patients with mild TBI. Similarly, increasing the number of distractor dots had a greater effect on reducing task sensitivity for patients with mild TBI than control participants. Finally, across all conditions, poorer detection performance was observed for patients with mild TBI when the tracking duration was longer compared to control participants. The present study showed that patients with mild TBI have greater deficits (compared to control participants) in their ability to maintain visual attention on tracking multiple moving objects, which was particularly hindered by increased tracking load and distraction.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18163-2
spellingShingle Mohammed M Alnawmasi
Sieu K. Khuu
Deficits in multiple object-tracking and visual attention following mild traumatic brain injury
Scientific Reports
title Deficits in multiple object-tracking and visual attention following mild traumatic brain injury
title_full Deficits in multiple object-tracking and visual attention following mild traumatic brain injury
title_fullStr Deficits in multiple object-tracking and visual attention following mild traumatic brain injury
title_full_unstemmed Deficits in multiple object-tracking and visual attention following mild traumatic brain injury
title_short Deficits in multiple object-tracking and visual attention following mild traumatic brain injury
title_sort deficits in multiple object tracking and visual attention following mild traumatic brain injury
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18163-2
work_keys_str_mv AT mohammedmalnawmasi deficitsinmultipleobjecttrackingandvisualattentionfollowingmildtraumaticbraininjury
AT sieukkhuu deficitsinmultipleobjecttrackingandvisualattentionfollowingmildtraumaticbraininjury