Multimodal Assessment Battery and Heart Rate Variability Enhance Clinical Utility of Buffalo Concussion Treadmill...

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Neuroscience
• Autonomic Function

Background:

• Concussion can lead to exercise intolerance and autonomic dysfunction.
• Autonomic function during rest and exertion may predict neurocognitive performance post-concussion.
• Objective measures are needed to assess exercise responses in individuals with a history of concussion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the feasibility of combining multimodal assessments with heart rate variability (HRV) during the Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test (BCTT).
• To assess physiological and neurocognitive responses to exercise in individuals with a history of concussion.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study with pretest/posttest design.
• 10 participants (5 male, 5 female) with remote concussion history completed multimodal assessments (e.g., Stroop, King-Devick) under single- and dual-task conditions.
• Heart rate and HRV were measured at rest, during BCTT, and during recovery.

Main Results:

• HRV indicated significant sympathetic nervous system activity during BCTT, with recovery post-exercise.
• Neurocognitive performance on the Stroop task improved significantly with exercise.
• Physiological and cognitive responses to exercise were measurable and showed distinct patterns.

Conclusions:

• Combining multimodal assessments and HRV during the BCTT is feasible for evaluating concussion recovery.
• Objective measures can reduce reliance on self-reported symptoms, improving identification of abnormal exercise responses.
• This integrated approach aids clinicians in assessing neurocognitive and physiological deviations in individuals post-concussion.