Concussion

IMPORTANCE: Blood-based biomarkers may clarify underlying neuropathology and potentially assist in clinical management of adolescents with sport-related concussion (SRC). OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between SRC and plasma biomarkers in adolescents. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective cohort study in Canadian sport and clinic settings (Surveillance in High Schools and Community Sport to Reduce Concussions and Their Consequences study; September 2019 to November 2022)...

BACKGROUND: The cognitive effects of sports-related concussion (SRC) have been the subject of vigorous debate but there has been little research into long-term outcomes in non-athlete populations. METHODS: This cohort study of UK community-dwelling adults (aged 50-90 years) was conducted between November 2015 and November 2020, with up to 4 years annual follow-up (n=15 214). Lifetime history of concussions was collected at baseline using the Brain Injury Screening Questionnaire...

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective was to investigate the incidence of concussion and the associated mechanisms of injury in elite Australian surfers. The secondary objective was to investigate the current perspectives and behaviors related to experiencing concussion in surfing. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, retrospective, descriptive survey. SETTING: Surfing Australia high-performance program. PARTICIPANTS: Forty nationally identified elite Australian surfing athletes...

INTRODUCTION:  Primary preventative medicine lacks a consensus on effective concussion prevention strategies for collegiate athletes. Cervical strength has been identified as a potential factor in concussion risk reduction. This study evaluates the impact of a commercially available, portable cervical muscle stretching and strengthening device, NeckX®, on cervical strength, range of motion (ROM), and concussion incidence in collegiate athletes participating in high-concussion-risk sports...

Sports-related concussions (SRCs) pose significant challenges to college-aged athletes, eliciting both immediate symptoms and subacute cognitive and motor function impairment. While most symptoms and impairments resolve within weeks, athletes with repeat SRCs may experience heightened risk for prolonged recovery trajectories, future musculoskeletal injuries, and long-term neurocognitive deficits. This includes impaired dual task performance and altered neurophysiology that could persist across the lifespan and elicit future pathophysiology and neurodegeneration...

INTRODUCTION: Diagnosis, assessment, and management of sports-related concussion require a multi-modal approach. Yet, currently, an objective assessment of auditory processing is not included. The auditory system is uniquely complex, relying on exquisite temporal precision to integrate signals across many synapses, connected by long axons. Given this complexity and precision, together with the fact that axons are highly susceptible to damage from mechanical force, we hypothesize that auditory processing is susceptible to concussive injury...

BACKGROUND: There is little guidance available, and no uniform assessment battery is used in either in-person or remote evaluations of people who are experiencing persistent physical symptoms post concussion. Selecting the most appropriate measures for both in-person and remote physical assessments is challenging because of the lack of expert consensus and guidance. OBJECTIVE: This study used expert consensus processes to identify clinical measures currently used to assess 5 physical domains affected by concussion (neurological examination, cervical spine, vestibular, oculomotor, or effort) and determine the feasibility of applying the identified measures virtually...

Autonomic nervous system dysfunction is increasingly recognized as a common sequela of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Heart rate variability (HRV) is a specific measure of autonomic nervous system functioning that can be used to measure beat-to-beat changes in heart rate following TBI. The objective of this systematic review was to determine the state of the literature on HRV dysfunction following TBI, assess the level of support for HRV dysfunction following TBI, and determine if HRV dysfunction predicts mortality and the severity and subsequent recovery of TBI symptoms...

BACKGROUND: Arachnoid cysts (AC) are associated with a risk of rupture or haemorrhage following head impact and pose a potential predisposing factor for significant complications of sport-related concussion. Despite a recognised association between ACs and intracranial haemorrhage/cyst rupture, the risk profile of participating in contact sports with AC is not well defined. We report a retrospective case series of players presenting to the Birmingham Sports Concussion Clinic between 2017 and 2023 and underwent MRI head, with a comprehensive review of the prior literature...

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify Dizziness-Related Disability (DRD) recovery trajectories in pediatric concussion and assess clinical predictors of disability groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, 81 children (8-17 years) diagnosed with an acute concussion took part in 3 evaluation sessions (baseline, 3-month, and 6-month). All sessions included the primary disability outcome, the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) to create the DRD recovery trajectories using group-based multi-trajectory modeling analysis...

BACKGROUND: Concussion and the damage resulting from this event related to brain function have been widely studied; however, little is known about subconcussive impacts, especially in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters, which is a combat and full contact sport in which most blows are aimed at the head. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the biomarker levels associated with subconcussive hits to the head in MMA fighters. METHODS: This is an exploratory study in which 30 male subjects (10 MMA fighters, 10 healthy individuals who practice muscle training, and 10 healthy sedentary individuals) aged between 18 and 32 years (25...

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether spotters with medical training and experience in managing concussion have higher inter-rater reliability and accuracy than non-medical personnel when identifying video signs associated with concussion in Australian football. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: Video clips were collected of all impacts potentially resulting in concussion during 2012 and 2013 Australian Football League (AFL) seasons...

BACKGROUND: Previous literature suggests that lingering concussion symptoms may be influenced by psychological factors. The relationship of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) during recovery with pre-existing/injury related factors and concussion symptomology is not fully understood. Identification of factors contributing to symptoms of posttraumatic stress may provide guidance to improve treatment following concussion. METHOD: This study included 287 participants (Male 40...

Concussion history, trunk motion, and lower extremity biomechanics associate with musculoskeletal injury risk. We aimed to examine the interaction between concussion history and trunk motion as possible modifiable factors for injury risk biomechanics during jump landing and cutting. Division I female athletes (24 with, 20 without concussion history) performed jump landings and jump-to-cuts at 45° in the opposite direction of the landing limb. We used multiple linear regressions with interaction terms to examine ankle dorsiflexion angle, knee flexion and abduction angle, and external knee flexion and abduction moment...

BACKGROUND: Concussion, also known as mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a condition with unique ties to military service. Service members (SMs) are inherently at a higher risk for concussive injuries due to the intense physical training environment and combat operational tempo required to serve. The Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence (TBICoE) is the US Department of Defense authority on this condition and provides a thorough approach to management of concussion and associated symptom sequela...

The Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT) is the most widely used tool following sport-related concussion (SRC). Initial SCAT symptom burden is a strong predictor of recovery in collegiate athletes; however, it is unknown if symptom presentation varies within the acute (<48 hours) post-SRC phase. The purpose of this cohort study was to examine acute SRC symptom presentation among National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes. Concussed NCAA varsity athletes (n=1,780) from thirty universities across the United States that participated in the Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium were included...

BACKGROUND: Deficits in dual-tasks (DT) are frequently observed post-concussion (i.e., mild Traumatic Brain Injury). However, traditional DT may not be relevant to daily life. Walking while talking elicits DT costs in healthy adults and is part of daily life. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effect of concussion on walking with extemporaneous speech and explored relationships between DT and acute symptoms. METHODS: Participants with recent concussion (<14 days post-injury) and controls completed three tasks: single-task gait without speaking (ST G ), single-task speaking without walking (ST S ) and walking while speaking (DT)...

OBJECTIVES: Mental fatigue (MF) can impair cognitive and physical performance in sport. We tested the hypothesis that a shorter adaptive Time Load Dual Back (TLDB) task induces MF faster than a longer Stroop; and subsequently impairs cognitive and intermittent running performance. DESIGN: This study employed a randomized within-participant design. METHODS: 25 trained individuals performed a Yo-Yo test after one of four experimental conditions (30-min Stroop, 20-min and 10-min TLDB tasks, and active control)...

Falls in older adults and those with neurodegenerative disease (ND) are a current public health hazard and the primary cause of sustaining a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)/concussion. Little is known regarding how post-concussion symptoms present in older adults and patients with ND, even though they are the demographic at highest risk. A combination of under-reporting of falls and a lack of awareness regarding potential consequences of falls, results in the underdiagnosis of post-fall issues and concussions in this population...

Sports-related concussion (SRC) is an injury whereby impact to the face/head/neck impairs cognitive functioning. Parasport athletes have an increased risk for SRC. The Previous Concussion in Sport Group iterations lack guidance for parasport SRC assessment, management, and return-to-play. This article aims to investigate the research relating to parasport SRCs published since the 2021 Concussion in Para Sport (CIPS) position statement and highlights possible new recommendations. A literature review of parasport concussions was conducted...