Sensory integration processes characterize concussed athletes with balance deficits

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Sports Medicine
• Rehabilitation

Background:

• Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), including sport-related concussions (SRC), frequently leads to impaired postural control.
• Individuals may exhibit neuronal upregulation to maintain cognitive and behavioral functions during pathological states.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if athletes with ongoing symptoms after SRC display increased brain activation in somatosensory and parietal cortices.
• To determine if this increased activation is a compensatory mechanism for postural deficits.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-six athletes (22 symptomatic SRC, 22 asymptomatic SRC, 22 controls) were assessed.
• Postural control was measured using a pressure plate under various balance conditions (eyes open/closed, stable/unstable surfaces).
• Brain oxygenation was monitored using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) over pre- and postcentral cortices.

Main Results:

• Symptomatic athletes exhibited greater postural sway than controls, particularly on unstable surfaces.
• Increased brain activation in the parietal cortex was observed in symptomatic athletes across all balance conditions compared to controls and asymptomatic athletes.
• This heightened activation suggests upregulated sensory integration processes in symptomatic athletes.

Conclusions:

• Increased parietal and somatosensory cortex activation in concussed athletes with persistent symptoms reflects upregulated sensory integration.
• Despite this upregulation, the compensatory neuronal mechanisms appear insufficient to overcome postural control and balance deficits post-concussion.