Dr. Dobryakova of Kessler Foundation receives Switzer Research Fellowship for TBI research

March 4, 2016. West Orange, NJ. Ekaterina Dobryakova, PhD, of Kessler Foundation has been awarded a Switzer Research Fellowship by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). The $70,000 Merit Award funds her research on the motivational influences on cognitive fatigue in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Cognitive fatigue is a debilitating symptom that affects up to 75% of people with TBI. There is evidence that cognitive fatigue is due to a disruption of the functioning of the fronto-striatal network, which plays a vital role in effort calculation and reward valuation. This study will be the first to explore whether rewards associated with performing a task can modulate cognitive fatigue in individuals with TBI.

"This fellowship enables me to further my study of the factors that influence cognitive fatigue," said Dr. Dobryakova, a research scientist in TBI Research at Kessler Foundation. "The results will be used to develop a non-invasive low-risk intervention that will alleviate this disabling symptom and lead to improvement in quality of life for the population with TBI."

Merit Fellowships are awarded to individuals with advanced professional training or research experience in independent study in appropriate areas that are directly pertinent to disability and rehabilitation, but who are in earlier stages of their research career, with less than the required seven years' experience, or who do not have a doctorate. Of the six Merit Fellowships awarded by NIDILRR in 2015, two were awarded to scientists at Kessler Foundation.

Funded by NIDILRR grant H133F150005

Provided by Kessler Foundation