Cross-sectional evaluation of visuomotor tracking performance following subconcussive head impacts.
Cross-sectional evaluation of visuomotor tracking performance following subconcussive head impacts.
- 2018
BACKGROUND: Repeated mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) has been associated with increased risk of degenerative neurological disorders. While the effects of mTBI and repeated injury are known, studies have only recently started examining repeated subconcussive impacts, impacts that do not result in a clinically diagnosed mTBI. In these studies, repeated subconcussive impacts have been connected to cognitive performance and brain imaging changes. CONCLUSION: This suggests that repeated subconcussive impacts can result in measurable impairments and indicates that visuomotor tracking performance may be a useful tool for monitoring the effects of repeated subconcussive impacts. METHODS: A cross-sectional, prospective study was completed with eleven collegiate men's lacrosse players. Participants wore helmet-mounted sensors and completed VMT and reaction time assessments. The relationship between cumulative impact metrics and VMT metrics were investigated. OBJECTIVE: Recent research suggests that performance on a visuomotor tracking (VMT) task may help improve the identification of mTBI. The goal of this study was to investigate if VMT performance is sensitive to the cumulative effect of repeated subconcussive head impacts in collegiate men's lacrosse players. RESULTS: In this study, VMT performance correlated with repeated subconcussive head impacts; individuals approached clinically diagnosed mTBI-like performance as the cumulative rotational velocity they experienced increased.
English
0928-7329
*Athletic Injuries/pp [Physiopathology]
*Brain Concussion/pp [Physiopathology]
*Psychomotor Performance/ph [Physiology]
*Racquet Sports
Biomechanical Phenomena
Cross-Sectional Studies
Head Protective Devices
Humans
Male
Prospective Studies
Trauma Severity Indices
Visual Perception
Young Adult
MedStar National Rehabilitation Network
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital
Sports Medicine
Journal Article
BACKGROUND: Repeated mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) has been associated with increased risk of degenerative neurological disorders. While the effects of mTBI and repeated injury are known, studies have only recently started examining repeated subconcussive impacts, impacts that do not result in a clinically diagnosed mTBI. In these studies, repeated subconcussive impacts have been connected to cognitive performance and brain imaging changes. CONCLUSION: This suggests that repeated subconcussive impacts can result in measurable impairments and indicates that visuomotor tracking performance may be a useful tool for monitoring the effects of repeated subconcussive impacts. METHODS: A cross-sectional, prospective study was completed with eleven collegiate men's lacrosse players. Participants wore helmet-mounted sensors and completed VMT and reaction time assessments. The relationship between cumulative impact metrics and VMT metrics were investigated. OBJECTIVE: Recent research suggests that performance on a visuomotor tracking (VMT) task may help improve the identification of mTBI. The goal of this study was to investigate if VMT performance is sensitive to the cumulative effect of repeated subconcussive head impacts in collegiate men's lacrosse players. RESULTS: In this study, VMT performance correlated with repeated subconcussive head impacts; individuals approached clinically diagnosed mTBI-like performance as the cumulative rotational velocity they experienced increased.
English
0928-7329
*Athletic Injuries/pp [Physiopathology]
*Brain Concussion/pp [Physiopathology]
*Psychomotor Performance/ph [Physiology]
*Racquet Sports
Biomechanical Phenomena
Cross-Sectional Studies
Head Protective Devices
Humans
Male
Prospective Studies
Trauma Severity Indices
Visual Perception
Young Adult
MedStar National Rehabilitation Network
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital
Sports Medicine
Journal Article