Robust RT deficits were observed acutely following concussion .
Minimal magnitude differences were noted when comparing between- and within-subject effects , suggesting that pre-injury baselines may not add clinical value in determining post-injury RT impairment .
RT deficits persisted up till the intermediate-term ( 21–59 days post-injury ) timeframe and indicate lingering deficits exist .
Mean effect size differences were observed between RT measure types and computerized neurocognitive testing platforms ; however , all categories displayed negative effects consistent with impaired RT following concussion .
Reaction time ( RT ) deficits are reported following concussion , but it is unknown when these deficits normalize to pre-injury status .
It is also unclear how factors such as RT measurement technique and participant characteristics influence post-concussion RT .
The purpose of this systematic review and meta- analysis was to ( 1 ) characterize acute post-concussion ( 0–3 days ) RT impairments , ( 2 ) examine RT recovery over time , and ( 3 ) explore moderating factors related to acute RT impairment following concussion .
A Comparison of Four Computerized Neurocognitive Assessment Tools to a Traditional Neuropsychological Test Battery in Service Members with and without Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Objective Computerized neurocognitive assessment tools ( NCATS ) are often used as a screening tool to identify cognitive deficits after mild traumatic brain injury ( mTBI ) . However , differing methodology across studies renders it difficult to identify a consensus regarding the validity of NCATs . Thus , studies where multiple NCATs are administered in the same sample using the same methodology are warranted . Method We investigated the validity of four NCATs : the ANAM4 , CNS-VS , CogState , and ImPACT . Two NCATs were r and omly assigned and a battery of traditional neuropsychological ( NP ) tests administered to healthy control active duty service members ( n = 272 ) and to service members within 7 days of an mTBI ( n = 231 ) . Analyses included correlations between NCAT and the NP test scores to investigate convergent and discriminant validity , and regression analyses to identify the unique variance in NCAT and NP scores attributed to group status . Effect sizes ( Cohen 's f2 ) were calculated to guide interpretation of data . Results Only 37 ( 0.6 % ) of the 5,655 correlations calculated between NCATs and NP tests are large ( i.e. r ≥ 0.50 ) . The majority of correlations are small ( i.e. 0.30 > r ≥ 0.10 ) , with no clear patterns suggestive of convergent or discriminant validity between the NCATs and NP tests . Though there are statistically significant group differences across most NCAT and NP test scores , the unique variance accounted for by group status is minimal ( i.e. semipartial R2 ≤ 0.033 , 0.024 , 0.062 , and 0.011 for ANAM4 , CNS-VS , CogState , and ImPACT , respectively ) , with effect sizes indicating small to no meaningful effect . Conclusion Though the results are not overly promising for the validity of the four NCATs we investigated , traditional methods of investigating psychometric properties may not be appropriate for computerized tests . We offer several conceptual and method ological considerations for future studies regarding the validity of NCATs
Robust RT deficits were observed acutely following concussion .
Minimal magnitude differences were noted when comparing between- and within-subject effects , suggesting that pre-injury baselines may not add clinical value in determining post-injury RT impairment .
RT deficits persisted up till the intermediate-term ( 21–59 days post-injury ) timeframe and indicate lingering deficits exist .
Mean effect size differences were observed between RT measure types and computerized neurocognitive testing platforms ; however , all categories displayed negative effects consistent with impaired RT following concussion .
Reaction time ( RT ) deficits are reported following concussion , but it is unknown when these deficits normalize to pre-injury status .
It is also unclear how factors such as RT measurement technique and participant characteristics influence post-concussion RT .
The purpose of this systematic review and meta- analysis was to ( 1 ) characterize acute post-concussion ( 0–3 days ) RT impairments , ( 2 ) examine RT recovery over time , and ( 3 ) explore moderating factors related to acute RT impairment following concussion .