Virtual Reality-based Rehabilitation for Children with Traumatic Brain Injuries

沈佳斌，博士，儿科创伤中心研究科学家(博士后) 国立儿童医院(NCH)研究所的研究。他的长期职业目标是 成为一名有成就的研究科学家，拥有专注于理论驱动和 儿童颅脑损伤的技术辅助心理康复。儿童脑外伤是导致脑损伤的主要原因 美国儿童中的获得性残疾每年有70万例，这往往会导致严重的残疾 在广泛的认知功能，特别是对儿童发展至关重要的执行功能(EFS)方面， 尤其是对中到重度脑外伤的儿童。尽管疾病控制和预防中心 美国疾病控制与预防中心(CDC)已将脑外伤后认知康复确定为脑外伤儿童最大的未得到满足的卫生保健需求， 为儿童脑外伤后的EF康复专门设计的干预措施仍然不可用。虚拟现实 (VR)作为儿童脑外伤EF康复的一种替代策略，具有令人兴奋的潜力，因为它在 培训内容、负担得起的远程访问能力，以及提高遵从性和技能转移的潜力。 然而，基于VR的EF康复治疗儿童颅脑损伤的安全性/有效性仍有待证实。 这份独立之路奖(K99/R00)提案概述了有组织的职业发展和 旨在评估创新的基于VR的EF培训计划的安全性和有效性的研究计划 患有中到重度脑外伤的儿童。在K99阶段，沈博士将进行一个小的平行小组 随机临床试验(RCT)，以评估VR研究范式、安全性和初步疗效 对30例7~17岁中重度颅脑损伤患儿进行干预。再加上有条理的训练计划， K99阶段将帮助沈医生获得以下方面的专业知识：(1)儿童脑外伤康复和结果评估， (2)技术辅助的儿童脑损伤康复，以及(3)先进的RCT设计和分析 儿科康复机构。沈博士在K99阶段的研究和培训将得到 指导一支在指导学员方面具有广泛专业知识的成熟的多学科团队 作为独立调查人员的成功学术生涯，以及住院康复股和 在NCH研究核心服务。 加上他的奖学金监督委员会对职业发展的支持，K99奖将 确保沈博士作为独立终身教职跟踪助理教授成功过渡到R00阶段 儿科康复研究。在R00阶段，沈博士将进行一次全面的平行小组RCT 正式评估VR计划对儿童核心EFS、日常EFS、注意力问题和 与健康相关的生活质量结果。从K99/R00奖项中获得的专业知识和技能将为 为儿童的认知、情感和社会康复制定全面的虚拟现实计划 有脑外伤和其他后天脑损伤。

Jiabin Shen, PhD, is a Research Scientist (postdoc equivalent position) in the Center for Pediatric Trauma Research at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH). His long-term career goal is to become an accomplished research scientist with a programmatic line of research focused on theory-driven and technology-assisted psychological rehabilitation for childhood TBI. Childhood TBI is a leading cause of acquired disability in U.S. children with 700,000 cases every year, which often result in significant impairment in broad cognitive functions, particularly in executive functions (EFs) that are critical to children’s development, especially in children with moderate to severe TBI. Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified post-TBI cognitive rehabilitation as the top unmet health care need for children with TBI, interventions specifically designed for children’s EF rehabilitation post-TBI remain unavailable. Virtual reality (VR) offers exciting potential as an alternative strategy for EF rehabilitation of childhood TBI for its flexibility in training content, capability for affordable remote access, and potential of increased adherence and skill transfer. However, the safety/efficacy of VR-based EF rehabilitation of childhood TBI remains to be established. This Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) proposal outlines structured career development and research plans aiming to assess the safety and efficacy of an innovative VR-based EF training program for children with moderate to severe TBI. During the K99 phase, Dr. Shen will conduct a small parallel-group randomized clinical trial (RCT) to evaluate the VR research paradigm, safety, and preliminary efficacy of the intervention among 30 children 7-17 years with moderate to severe TBI. Coupled with a structured training plan, the K99 phase will help Dr. Shen gain expertise in: (1) childhood TBI rehabilitation and outcome assessment, (2) technology-assisted childhood TBI rehabilitation, and (3) advanced design and analysis for RCTs in pediatric rehabilitation settings. Dr. Shen’s research and training during the K99 phase will be supported by the mentorship of an established and multidisciplinary team with extensive expertise in guiding trainees to successful academic careers as independent investigators, as well as the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit and research core services at NCH. Along with the career development support from his Scholarship Oversight Committee, the K99 award will ensure Dr. Shen’s successful transition to the R00 phase as an independent tenure-track assistant professor in pediatric rehabilitation research. During the R00 phase, Dr. Shen will conduct a full-scale parallel-group RCT to formally evaluate the efficacy of the VR program on children’s core EFs, daily EFs, attention problems, and health-related quality-of-life outcomes. The expertise and skills gained from this K99/R00 award will inform the development of a comprehensive VR program for cognitive, emotional, and social rehabilitation among children with TBI and other acquired brain injuries.