Increased brain activation during working memory processing after pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)

Greater working memory task-related activation was found in adolescents up to one year post-mTBI relative to controls, potentially indicating compensatory activation to support normal task performance. Differences in brain activation in the mTBI group so long after injury may indicate residual alterations in brain function much later than would be expected based on the typical pattern of symptom recovery, which could have important clinical implications.