Longitudinal assessment of post-concussion driving reaction time

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Sports Medicine
• Human Factors Engineering

Background:

• Concussion can cause neurocognitive and motor impairments, including slowed reaction time (RT), crucial for driving.
• Assessing driving safety post-concussion is vital for athletes' return to normal activities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare driving RT between concussed and non-concussed individuals during concussion recovery.
• To investigate the correlation between clinical concussion outcomes and driving RT in concussed individuals.

Main Methods:

• Recruited collegiate athletes (26 concussed, 23 controls) for driving simulations and neurocognitive testing (SCAT5, CNS Vital Signs) at three time points.
• Recorded RTs during simulated driving events and analyzed data using general linear mixed models.

Main Results:

• Pedestrian RT was significantly slower at ≤72 hours post-injury compared to later time points.
• No significant differences in other driving RTs (stoplight, vehicle incursion, vehicle cross) were found between groups or across time points.
• Clinical concussion outcomes, except for executive, motor, and psychomotor speed, did not significantly predict driving RT.

Conclusions:

• Driving RT may not differ between acutely concussed and healthy individuals in short, simulated drives.
• Current clinical concussion assessments show limited correlation with driving RT.
• Further research is necessary to establish safe return-to-driving criteria post-concussion.