Nicholas Pastorek, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Email

npastore@bcm.edu

Positions

Assistant Professor: H. Ben Taub Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Baylor College of Medicine
2002 Holcombe Blvd., TX, US

Neuropsychologist: Rehabilitation and Extended Care Line
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
Houston, Texas, United States
Dr. Pastorek serves as the Neuropsychology Residency Director and Polytrauma Planning Director at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.

Education

Ph.D. from University Of Houston: 01/2004 - Houston, TX, United States

Advanced Training from University Of Oklahoma Hospital & Clinic: 01/2005 - Oklahoma City, OK, United States

Websites

VIICTR Publications List

Selected Publications

Kiewel NA, Wisdom NM, Bradshaw MR, Pastorek NJ, Strutt AM. " A retrospective review of digit span-related effort indicators in probable Alzheimer's disease patients. " Clin Neuropsychol. 2012 Aug ; 26 (6) : 965-74.
Pubmed PMID: 22703555.
Tan G, Fink B, Dao TK, Hebert R, Farmer LS, Sanders A, Pastorek N, Gevirtz R. " Associations among pain, PTSD, mTBI, and heart rate variability in veterans of Operation Enduring and Iraqi Freedom: a pilot study. " Pain Med. 2009 Oct ; 10 (7) : 1237-45.
Pubmed PMID: 19818034.
Hiatt EL, Collins RL, Pastorek NJ, Bellows CF. " Body image and health locus of control among male patients with incisional hernias. " 2009 Jun ; 6 (3) : 242-5.
Pubmed PMID: 19482569.
Maestas KL, Benge JF, Pastorek NJ, Lemaire A, Darrow R. " Factor structure of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in OEF/OIF veterans presenting to a polytrauma clinic. " Rehabil Psychol. 2011 Nov ; 56 (4) : 366-73.
Pubmed PMID: 21928917.
Romesser J, Booth J, Benge J, Pastorek N, Helmer D. " Mild traumatic brain injury and pain in Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom veterans. " J Rehabil Res Dev. 2012 Oct ; 49 (7) : 1127-36.
Pubmed PMID: 23341284.
Lippa SM, Pastorek NJ, Benge JF, Thornton GM. " Postconcussive symptoms after blast and nonblast-related mild traumatic brain injuries in afghanistan and iraq war veterans. " J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2010 Sep ; 16 (5) : 856-66.
Pubmed PMID: 20682086.
Benge JF, Pastorek NJ, Thornton GM. " Postconcussive symptoms in OEF-OIF veterans: factor structure and impact of posttraumatic stress. " Rehabil Psychol. 2009 Aug ; 54 (3) : 270-8.
Pubmed PMID: 19702425.
Pastorek NJ, Hannay HJ, Contant CS. " Prediction of global outcome with acute neuropsychological testing following closed-head injury. " J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2004 Oct ; 10 (6) : 807-17.
Pubmed PMID: 15637771.
Thaler, N.S., Linck, J.F., Heyanka, D.J., Pastorek, N.J., Miller, B., Romesser, J.F., & Sim, A.H.. " Heterogeneity in Trail Making Test performance in OEF/OIF/OND veterans with mild traumatic brain injury. " Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2013 ; 28 (8) : 798-807.
Pubmed PMID: 24145667.
Wisdom, N.M., Pastorek, N.J., Miller, B.I., Booth, J.E., Romesser, J.M., Linck, J.F., & Sim, A.H.. " PTSD and cognitive functioning: Importance of including performance validity testing " Clin Neuropsychol. 2014 ; 28 (1) : 128-145.
Pubmed PMID: 24354897.
Sherer, M., Davis, L.C., Sander, A.M., Caroselli, J.S., Clark, A.N., Pastorek, N.J.. " Prognostic importance of self-reported traits/problems/strengths and environmental barriers/facilitators for predicting community integration and participation outcomes in persons with traumatic brain injury: a systemic review. " Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2014 ; 95 (6) : 1162-1173.
Pubmed PMID: 24583024.
Sherer, M., Sander, A.M., Maestas, K.L., Pastorek, N.J., Nick, T.G., & Li, J.. " Accuracy of self-reported length of coma and posttraumatic amnesia in persons with medically verified traumatic brain injury " Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2015 ; 96 (4) : 652-658.
Pubmed PMID: 25461819.
Sherer, M., Davis, L., Sander, A., Nick, T., Luo, C., Pastorek, N., & Hanks, R.. " Factors Associated with Word Memory Test Performance in Persons with Medically Documented Traumatic Brain Injury " Clin Neuropsychol. 2015 ; 29 (4) : 522-541.
Pubmed PMID: 26063081.
Lippa, S.M., Pastorek, N.J., Romesser, J., Linck, J., Sim, A.H., Wisdom, N.M., Miller, B.I.. " Ecological validity of performance validity testing " Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2014 ; 29 (3) : 236-244.
Pubmed PMID: 24681945.
Proto, D.A., Pastorek, N.J., Miller, B., Romesser, J.M., Sim, A.H., Linck, J.F.. " The dangers of failing one or more performance validity tests in individuals claiming mild traumatic brain injury-related postconcussive symptoms " Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2014 ; 29 (7) : 614-624.
Pubmed PMID: 25252598.
Neipert, L., Pastorek, N.J., Troyanskaya, M. Scheibel, R.S., Petersen, N.J., Levin, H.S.. " Effect of clinical characteristics on cognitive performance in service members and veterans with histories of blast-related mild traumatic brain injury " Brain Inj. 2014 ; 28 (13-14) : 1667-1674.
Pubmed PMID: 25180439.
McCulloch, K., Pastorek, N.J., Miller, B.I., Romesser, J., Linck, J., Sim, A.H., Troyanskaya, M., Maestas, K.L.. " Clinician versus Veteran ratings on the Mayo-Portland Participation Index in veterans with a history of mild traumatic brain injury " J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2015 ; 30 (1) : 38-46.
Pubmed PMID: 24695266.
Kougias, P., Collins, R., Pastorek, N., Sharath, S., Barshes, N.R., McCulloch, K., Pisimisis, G., & Berger, D.H.. " Comparison of domain-specific cognitive function after carotid endarterectomy and stenting " J Vasc Surg. 2015 ; 62 (2) : 355-361.
Pubmed PMID: 26211378.
Troyanskaya, M., Pastorek, N.J., Scheibel, R.S., Peterson, N.J., McCulloch, K., Wilde, E.A., Henson, H.K., & Levin, H.S.. " Combat exposure, PTSD symptoms, and cognition following blast-related traumatic brain injury in OEF/OIF/OND service members and Veterans " Mil Med. 2015 ; 180 (3) : 285-289.
Pubmed PMID: 25735018.
Travis Seidl, J., Pastorek, N.J., Troyanskaya, M., & Scheibel, R.S.. " Neuropsychological and behavioral correlates of impulsiveness in veterans with and without mild traumatic brain injury " J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2015 ; 37 (1) : 84-91.
Pubmed PMID: 25692732.
Scheibel, R.S., Pastorek, N.J., Troyanskaya, M., Kennedy, J.E., Steinberg, J.L., Newsome, M.R., Lin, X., & Levin, H.S.. " The suppression of brain activation in post-deployment military personnel with posttraumatic stress symptoms " Brain Imaging Behav. 2015 ; 9 (3) : 513-526.
Pubmed PMID: 25875014.
Heyanka D.J., Thaler, N.S., Linck, J.F., Pastorek, N.J., Miller, B., Romesser, J., & Sim, A.H.. " A Factor Analytic Approach to the Validation of the Word Memory Test and Test of Memory Malingering as Measures of Effort and Not Memory " Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2015 ; 30 (5) : 369-376.
Pubmed PMID: 25964105.
Seidl, J.N., Pastorek, N.J., Lillie, R., Rosenblatt, A., Troyanskaya, M., Miller, B.I., Romesser, J., Lippa, S., & Sim, A.H.. " Factors related to satisfaction with life in veterans with mild traumatic brain injury " Rehabil Psychol. 2015 ; 60 (4) : 335-343.
Pubmed PMID: 26618214.
Copeland, C.T., Mahoney, J.J., Block, C.K., Linck, J.F., Pastorek, N.J., Miller, B.M., Romesser, J.M., & Sim, A.H.. " Relative Utility of Performance and Symptom Validity Tests " Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2016 ; 31 (1) : 18-22.
Pubmed PMID: 26537776.
Troyanskaya, M., Pastorek, N.J., Scheibel, R.S., Petersen, N.J., Walder, A., Henson, H.K., & Levin, H.. " Choosing appropriate comparison group participants in studies of veterans: Characteristics of orthopedically injured and uninjured Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn veterans " J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2016 ; 38 (7) : 811-819.
Pubmed PMID: 27171190.
Miles, S.R., Harik, J.M., Hundt, N.E., Mignona, J., Pastorek, N.J., Thompson, K.E., Freshour, J.S., Yu, H.J., & Cully, J.A.. " Delivery of mental health treatment to combat veterans with psychiatric diagnoses and TBI histories " PLoS One. 2017 ; 12 (9)
Pubmed PMID: 28886114.
Bodapati, A.S., Combs, H.L., Pastorek, N.J., Miller, B., Troyanskaya, M., Romesser, J., Sim, A., & Linck, J.. " Detection of symptom over-reporting on the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory in OEF/OIF/OND veterans with history of mild TBI " Clin Neuropsychol. ; 33 (3) : 539-556.
Pubmed PMID: 29865932.
Ottomanelli, L., Bakken, S., Dillahunt-Aspillaga, C., Pastorek, N., & Young, C.. " Vocational rehabilitation in the Veteran Health Administration Polytrauma System of Care: Current practices, unique challenges, and future direction. " J Head Traum Rehabil. 2019 ; 343 (3) : 158-166.
Pubmed PMID: 31058758.
Pastorek, N.J., Petska, K.S., Duchnick, J.J., Chard, K.M., & Belanger, H.G.. " Providing care for comorbid mental health conditions in the Polytrauma System of Care. " J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2019 ; 34 (3) : 150-157.
Pubmed PMID: 31058757.
Modiano, Y.,A., Webber, T., Cerbone, B., Haneef, Z., Pastorek, N.J.. " Predictive utility of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-RF (MMPI-2-RF) in differentiating psychogenic nonepileptic seizures and epileptic seizures in male veterans " Epilepsy Behav. 2021 ; 116
Pubmed PMID: 33517198.
Modiano, Y.,A., Taiwo, Z., Pastorek, N.J. Webber, T.. " The Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology Amnestic Disorders Scale (SIMS-AM) Is Insensitive to Cognitive Impairment While Accurately Identifying Invalid Cognitive Symptom Reporting. " Psychol Inj Law. 2021 ; 14 : 232-247.
Troyanskaya, M., Pastorek, N.J., Walder, A., Wilde, E.A., Kennedy, J.E., Levin, H.S. & Scheibel, R.S.. " Role of deployment-related mTBI and resilience in perceived participation limitations among Veterans " Mil Psychol. 2021 ; 33 (6) : 426-435.
Pubmed PMID: 38536382.
Troyanskaya, M., Pastorek, N.J., Wilde, E.A., Tombridge, K.A., Day, A.M., Levin, H.S. & Scheibel, R.S.. " Risk factors for decline in cognitive performance following deployment-related mild traumatic brain injury: A preliminary report " Neurocase. 2021 ; 27 (6) : 457-461.
Pubmed PMID: 34783300.
Kennedy, E., Dennis, E. L., Lindsey, H. M., deRoon-Cassini, T., Du Plessis, S., Fani, N. et al.. " Harmonizing PTSD severity scales across instruments and sites " Neuropsychology. 2023 ; 37 (4) : 398-408.
Pubmed PMID: 35797175.
Tierney, S.M., Taiwo, Z., Choudhury, T.K., Lippa, S.M., Troyanskaya, M., Pastorek, N.J., Miller, B., Romesser, J., & Sim, A.. " Varying failure criteria on performance validity tests influences interpretation of cognitive outcomes " Neuropsychology. ; 37 (1) : 93-103.
Pubmed PMID: 36227290.
Troyanskaya, M., Pastorek, N.J., Jamal, F., Jackson, G.R., Sarwar, A., Wilde, E., & Scheibel, R.S.. " A pilot study of olfactory function in veterans with a history of deployment-related mild traumatic brain injury " Neurocase. 2022 ; 28 (6) : 459-466.
Pubmed PMID: 36576237.
Tierney, S.M., Matchanova, A., Miller, B.I., Troyanskaya, M., Romesser, J., Sim, A., Pastorek, N.J.. " Cognitive "success" in the setting of performance validity test failure " J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2024 ; 46 (1) : 46-54.
Pubmed PMID: 37555316.
Choudhury, T.K, Simutis, C.B, Elliott, J., and Pastorek, N.J.. " Poststroke recrudescence: Current evidence and considerations for clinical practice. Practical Neurology. " Practical Neurol. 2023 Dec ; 42-44.