Traumatic brain injury and its impact on working memory : A systematic review

Abstract: The purpose of this systematic review is to provide insight into the impact traumatic brain injury (TBI) has on the executive function known as the working memory. TBI is a damage to the brain that occurs when the brain is critically injured to the degree that it impacts several brain regions and functions such as the hippocampus, its surrounding areas, the prefrontal cortex, and the performance of the working memory ability. TBI may occur from bleeding or infraction (stroke), lack of oxygen after cardiac arrest (anoxic brain injury), or diseases such as brain tumours or infections in the brain (encephalitis/meningitis). Working memory is the ability that maintains and manipulates information such as judgment and decision-making. TBI impacts several cognitive and executive functions such as the working memory. The implications that TBI has on working memory is that it relatively decreases the activation and connectivity capacity among the main areas of the working memory network which may result in difficulties of attention and concentration. This review summarises five studies about TBI and working memory that uses different working memory task while examiningwith brain imaging techniques. The studies conclude that TBI has a negative impact on working memory since the ability becomes weak.