Effect of Concussion on Reaction Time and Neurocognitive Factors: Implications for Subsequent Lower Extremity Injury

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Neurology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Athletes are at increased risk for lower extremity injury after returning to sport post-concussion.
• Persistent neurocognitive deficits may contribute to this elevated injury risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess simple reaction time, processing speed, attention, and concentration in athletes cleared for return-to-sport after sport-related concussion (SRC).
• To determine if neurocognitive deficits persist post-concussion, potentially leading to slower reaction times or impaired attention.

Main Methods:

• A case-controlled study compared 12 athletes with SRC (cleared for RTS) to 8 matched healthy controls.
• Neurocognitive function was assessed using the simple reaction time test (SRT) and the King-Devick Test (K-D).
• Independent t-tests were used for group comparisons with significance set at p<0.05.

Main Results:

• The concussed group demonstrated a significantly better simple reaction time (SRT) compared to the control group (p=0.024).
• No significant differences were found between the groups on the King-Devick (K-D) test (p=0.939).

Conclusions:

• The study's hypothesis was not supported, as no significant neurocognitive deficits were found in concussed athletes compared to controls.
• Current neurocognitive tests and the time lapse until return-to-sport clearance may not adequately reveal persistent deficits.