Research Publications

Publications
Articles
Glavå G, Skau S, Lövdén M and Johansson B. (2025) Differences in frontal cortical brain function between individuals suffering from pathological mental fatigue following acquired brain injury and healthy individuals. Behavioural Brain Research, 490, 26 July 2025, 115631, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2025.115631
Johansson B, and Rönnbäck L. (2025) The Brain Fatigue Syndrome— Symptoms, Probable Definition, and Pathophysiological Mechanisms. J. Clin. Med. 14, 3271, https:// doi.org/10.3390/jcm14103271
Glavå G, Rönnbäck L and Johansson B. (2025) A new mindfulness and psycho-educative program for treatment of brain fatigue, evaluated after an acquired brain injury and multiple sclerosis, Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, 13:1, 2502039, https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2025.2502039
Glavå, G and Johansson, B (2025) Mindfulness-based stress reduction as perceived by individuals with pathological mental fatigue after an acquired brain injury. Scientific Reports 15:6680, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-90452-y
Johansson B & Dalhielm E (2024) An online self-study mindfulness-based stress reduction course for people suffering from mental fatigue after an acquired brain injury, Brain Injury, 27 doi: 10.1080/02699052.2024.2347545
Johansson B, Holmberg, M, Skau S, Malmgren H, Filipsson Nyström H (2023) The relationship between mental fatigue, depression, and cognition in Graves’ disease. Eur Thyroid J. 12:4 e ;230040, doi: 10.1530/ETJ-23-0040
Skau S, Johansson B, Kuhn H-G and Thompson WH (2022) Segregation over time in functional networks in prefrontal cortex for individuals suffering from pathological fatigue after traumatic brain injury. Front. Neurosci. 16:972720. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2022.972720
Johansson B, Andréll P, Mannheimer C, Rönnbäck L (2022) Hjärntrötthet – ett osynligt gissel- Möjliga förklaringar, diagnostik och möjliga behandlingar. Läkartidningen, 119:21073
Johansson B (2022) Screening Method for Assessment of Work Ability for Patients Suffering From Mental Fatigue. Front. Behav. Neurosci. 16:869377. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.869377
Rönnbäck, L and Johansson B (2022) Long-Lasting Pathological Mental Fatigue After Brain Injury–A Dysfunction in Glutamate Neurotransmission? Front. Behav. Neurosci. 2022, 15:791984. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.791984
Johansson B (2021) Distractibility When Suffering from Mental Fatigue after a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Phys Med Rehabil Int. 8(3): 1184
Skau, S, Jonsdottir, IH, Dahlman, AS, Johansson, B and Kuhn, HG (2020) Exhaustion disorder and altered brain activity in frontal cortex detected with fNIRS, Stress, DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2020.1777972
Nilsson, MKL, Johansson, B, Carlsson, ML, Schuit RC and Rönnbäck L (2020) Effect of the monoaminergic stabiliser (−)-OSU6162 on mental fatigue following stroke or traumatic brain injury. Acta Neuropsychiatrica 1–10. doi: 10.1017/ neu.2020.22
Irestorm, E, Tonning, I, Johansson, B and Øra, I (2020) Cognitive fatigue in relation to depressive symptoms after treatment for childhood cancer. BMC Psychology, 10;8(1):31. doi: 10.1186/s40359-020-00398-1
Johansson, B, Andréll, P, Rönnbäck, L and Mannheimer, C (2020) Follow-up after 5.5 years of treatment with methylphenidate for mental fatigue and cognitive function after a mild traumatic brain injury, Brain Injury, 34(2):229-235
Bergqvist, L, Öhrvall, A-M, Rönnbäck, L, Johansson, B, Himmelmann, K and Peny-Dahlstrand, M (2020) Evidence of Construct Validity for the Modified Mental Fatigue Scale When Used in Persons with Cerebral Palsy Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 23(4):240-252
Skau, S, Bunketorp-Käll, L, Kuhn, H G and Johansson, B (2019) Mental Fatigue and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) – Based Assessment of Cognitive Performance After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Fronierst Human Neuroscience, 13(145)
Jonasson, A, Levin, C, Renfors, M, Strandberg, S and Johansson B (2018) Mental fatigue and impaired cognitive function after an acquired brain injury. Brain Behav, e01056.
Johansson, B and Bjuhr, H (2018) Train 4 Good – an eight-month mindfulness program live on Internet for long-term mental fatigue and emotional distress after an acquired brain injury. Archives of Psychology, 2(5):1-17
Johansson, B, Wentzel, A-P, Andréll, P, Rönnbäck, L and Mannheimer, C (2018) Two-Year Methylphenidate Treatment of Mental Fatigue and Cognitive Function After a Traumatic Brain Injury: A Clinical Prospective Study. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 38:164–165
Johansson, B and Rönnbäck, L (2017) Assessment and treatment of mental fatigue after a traumatic brain injury. Journal Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 27(7):1047-1055
Palm, S, Rönnbäck, L and Johansson, B (2017) Long-term mental fatigue after traumatic brain injury and impact on employment status. Rehabil Med, 49:228-233
Johansson, B, Wentzel, A-P, Andréll, P, Rönnbäck, L and Mannheimer, C (2017) Long-term treatment with methylphenidate for fatigue after traumatic brain injury. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 135(1):100-107
Johansson, B and Bjuhr, H (2016) Teaching Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Live Online to Individuals Suffering from Mental Fatigue-A Qualitative Evaluation. International Journal of Social Science Studies, 4(3); doi:10.11114/ijsss.v4i3.1389
Johansson, B and Rönnbäck, L (2015) Novel computer tests for identification of mental fatigue after traumatic brain injury. NeuroRehabilitation, 36(2):195-202
Johansson, B, Bjuhr, H, Karlsson, M, Karlsson, J-O, Rönnbäck, L (2015) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Delivered Live on the Internet to Individuals Suffering from Mental Fatigue After an Acquired Brain Injury. Mindfulness, 6:1356-1365
Johansson, B, Wentzel, A-P, Andréll, P, Rönnbäck, L and Mannheimer, C (2015) Methylphenidate reduces mental fatigue and improves processing speed in persons suffered a traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury, 29(6):758-765
Johansson, B, Bjuhr, H, and Rönnbäck, L (2015) Evaluation of an Advanced Mindfulness Program Following a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program for Participant Suffering from Mental Fatigue After Acquired Brain Injury. Mindfulness, 6(2):227-233
Johansson, B and Rönnbäck, L (2014) Evaluation of the Mental Fatigue Scale and its relation to Cognitive and Emotional Functioning after Traumatic Brain Injury or Stroke. Int J Phys Med Rehabil, 2:182. doi: 10.4172/2329-9096.1000182
Johansson, B, Wentzel, A-P, Andréll, P, Odenstedt, J, Mannheimer, C and Rönnbäck, L (2014) Evaluation of dosage, safety and effects of methylphenidate on posttraumatic brain injury symptoms with focus on mental fatigue and pain Brain Injury, 28(3):304-310
Johansson, B, Carlsson, A, Carlsson, M L, Karlsson, M, Nilsson, M K L, Nordquist-Brandt, E and Rönnbäck, L (2012) Placebo-controlled cross-over study of the monoaminergic stabiliser (−)-OSU6162 in mental fatigue following stroke or traumatic brain injury. Acta Neuropsychiatrica,, 24(5):266-274
Johansson, B, Bjuhr, H, and Rönnbäck, L (2012) Mindfullness based stress reduction improves long-term mental fatigue after stroke or traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury, 26(13-14):1621-1628
Johansson, B, Starmark, A, Berglund, P, Rödholm, M, and Rönnbäck, L (2010) A self-assessment questionnaire for mental fatigue and related symptoms after neurological disorders and injuries. Brain Injury, 24(1):2-12
Johansson, B, Berglund, P and Rönnbäck, L (2009). Mental fatigue and impaired information processing after mild and moderate traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury, 23:1027-1040
Jacobsson, J, Persson, M, Hansson, E and Rönnbäck, L (2006) Corticosterone inhibits expression of the microglial glutamate transporter GLT-1 in vitro. Neuroscience, 139:475-483
Persson, M, Sandberg, M, Hansson, E and Rönnbäck, L (2006) Microglial glutamate uptake is coupled to glutathione synthesis and glutamate release. Europ J Neurosci, 24:1063-1070
Persson, M, Brantefjord, M, Hansson, E and Rönnbäck, L (2005) Lipopolysaccharide increases microglial GLT-1 expression and glutamate uptake capacity in vitro by a mechanism dependent on TNF-a. GLIA 51:111-120
Hansson, E and and Rönnbäck, L (2004) Altered neuronal-glial signaling in glutamatergic transmission as a unifying mechanism in chronic pain and mental fatigue. Neurochem Res, 29:989-996
Rönnbäck, L and Hansson, E (2004) On the potential role of glutamate transport in mental fatigue. J Neuroinflam, 1:22
Hansson, E, Muyderman, H, Leonova, J, Allansson, L, Sinclair, J, Blomstrand, F,Thorlin, T, Nilsson, M and Rönnbäck, L (2000) Astrocytic receptors and second messenger systems. Adv Astroglia and glutamate in physiology and pathology. Aspects on glutamate transport, glutamate-induced cell swelling and gap-junction communication. Neurochem Int 37:317-329
Overviews
Hansson, E and Rönnbäck, L (1995) Astrocytes in glutamate neurotransmission. Receptor-mediated regulation of uptake carriers, ion channels and cell volume. FASEB J, 9:343-350
Hansson, E and Rönnbäck, L (2003) Glial neuronal signaling in the central nervous system. FASEB J, 17:341-348
Hertz, L, Hansson, E and Rönnbäck, L (2001) Signaling and gene expression in the neuron-glia unit during brain function and dysfunction. Neurochem Int, 39:227-252
Books
Birgitta Johansson och Lars Rönnbäck (2019) Den ofattbara hjärntröttheten, Lund Studentlitteratur AB
Johansson, B och Rönnbäck, L (2014) När hjärnan inte orkar – om hjärntrötthet. Sandared: Recito Förlag
Rönnbäck, L and Johansson, B (2012) Long-lasting mental fatigue after traumatic brain injury or stroke. A new perspective. LAMBERT Academic Press, Saarbrücken
Hansson, E, Olsson, T and Rönnbäck, L (1997) On astrocytes and glutamate neurotransmission – New waves in brain information processing. Neuroscience Intelligence Unit, Springer, R.G. Landes Company
Book Chapters
Johansson, B and Rönnbäck, L (2014) Long-Lasting Mental Fatigue After Traumatic Brain Injury – A Major Problem Most Often Neglected Diagnostic Criteria, Assessment, Relation to Emotional and Cognitive Problems, Cellular Background, and Aspects on Treatment, In F. Sadaka (Ed) Traumatic Brain Injury, InTech, ISBN 978-953-51-1222-8, Chapter 21, DOI: 10.5772/57311
Johansson, B. and Rönnbäck, L (2012) Mental fatigue; a common long term consequence after a brain injury, In A. Agrawal (Ed.), Brain Injury – Functional Aspects, Rehabilitation and Prevention (pp. 3-16). Rijeka, Croatia: InTech
Rönnbäck, L and Johansson, B (2012) Long-Lasting Mental Fatigue After Recovery from Meningitis or Encephalitis – A Disabling Disorder Hypothetically Related to Dysfunction in the Supporting Systems of the Brain. In V. Olisah (Ed.), Essential Notes in Psychiatry (pp. 551-564): InTech
Johansson, B (2012). Dolda funktionshinder. In A.-C. Jönsson (Ed.), Stroke – Patienters, närståendes och vårdares perspektiv (pp. 243-257). Lund: Studentlitteratur