Identifying the Cerebral Physiologic Response to Aerobic Exercise Following Concussion: A Scoping Review
Dean M Cordingley1, Alwyn Gomez, Michael Ellis
1Author Affiliation :Pan Am Clinic Foundation, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (Mr Cordingley and Dr Zeiler); Applied Health Sciences Program, Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (Mr Cordingley); Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (Drs Gomez, Ellis, and Zeiler); Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (Drs Gomez and Zeiler); Pan Am Clinic, Winnipeg, and Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, and Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (Dr Ellis); and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and Centre on Aging, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and Division of Anaesthesia, Department of Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England (Dr Zeiler).
Current research on the cerebral physiologic response to aerobic exercise after concussion is limited. More studies are needed to optimize exercise treatments for mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) recovery.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sports Medicine
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Concussion, a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), affects cerebral physiology.
- Aerobic exercise is increasingly explored for concussion recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the cerebral physiologic response to aerobic exercise in individuals with symptomatic concussion.
- To highlight existing knowledge and knowledge gaps in the literature regarding this response.
Main Methods:
- A systematic scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
- Searches were performed across major scientific databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, BIOSIS, Cochrane).
- Inclusion criteria focused on original research with aerobic exercise, cerebral physiology measures, and mild TBI/concussion populations (GCS ≥ 13), excluding moderate/severe TBI.
Main Results:
- The initial search yielded 1773 articles.
- Data from only 3 eligible studies were extracted for analysis.
Conclusions:
- There is insufficient evidence to draw definitive conclusions on the cerebral physiologic response to aerobic exercise post-concussion.
- Further research is crucial to understand these responses and optimize exercise-based interventions for concussion and mTBI recovery.
- Understanding these responses may aid in developing targeted therapies.
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