An Objective Assessment of Neuromotor Control Using a Smartphone App After Repeated Subconcussive Blast Exposure

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Military Medicine
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Subconcussive blast exposure is common in military settings.
• The long-term neurological consequences of repeated subconcussive blasts are not well understood.
• Assessing neuromotor performance can reveal subtle neurological changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the short- and long-term effects of repeated subconcussive blast exposure on neuromotor performance.
• To determine the duration of neurological dysfunction following blast exposure in military personnel.
• To understand the relationship between blast exposure and changes in movement kinematics.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study design with 214 military personnel.
• Comparison between 137 individuals exposed to repeated subconcussive blasts and 77 controls.
• Utilized smartphone-app-based kinematic analysis of a stepping-in-place task.

Main Results:

• Acute suppression of neuromotor variability observed 6 hours post-blast exposure.
• Neuromotor variability returned to baseline levels by 72 hours post-exposure.
• No significant differences in movement kinematics were found at 2 weeks and 3 months.

Conclusions:

• Subconcussive blast exposure causes a transient reduction in neuromotor variability.
• Neurological recovery is rapid, with pre-blast movement patterns restored within 72 hours.
• The observed changes may stem from a temporary reduction in functional degrees of freedom.