Due to differences in modalities , time course , study design and outcomes , it is not possible to define a single ‘ physiological time window ’ for SRC recovery .
Multiple studies suggest physiological dysfunction may outlast current clinical measures of recovery , supporting a buffer zone of gradually increasing activity before full contact risk .
Aim or objective The aim of this study is to consoli date studies of physiological measures following sport-related concussion ( SRC ) to determine if a time course of postinjury altered neurobiology can be outlined .
This biological time course was considered with respect to clinical ly relevant outcomes such as vulnerability to repeat injury and safe timing of return to physical contact risk .
Recovery From Mild Head Injury in Sports: Evidence From Serial Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies in Male Athletes
Objective : To examine functional brain activation patterns before and after postconcussive symptoms ( PCS ) resolution . Design : Prospect i ve serial study with male athletes using functional magnetic resonance imaging ( fMRI ) . Setting : Hospital laboratory and imaging facility . Participants : 9 symptomatic concussed athletes who experienced persisting PCS at least 1 month postinjury and 6 healthy athletes . Interventions : All athletes filled out a PCS checklist and underwent an fMRI session during which they performed a working-memory task . Main outcome measurements : Behavioral outcomes were response speed and accuracy on the working memory tasks performed during the fMRI session . Functional imaging outcomes were blood oxygen level-dependent fMRI activation patterns associated with a working memory task . Results : There was no difference in behavioral performance between the groups . Despite normal structural MRI findings , all symptomatic concussed athletes initially showed atypical brain activation patterns in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex ( DLPC ) . Compared to the initial postinjury evaluation , those athletes at follow-up with PCS resolved showed significant increases in activation in the left DLPC . Concussed athletes whose PCS status remained unchanged at follow-up continued to show atypical activation in DLPC . Healthy athletes showed remarkably clear and consistent brain activations in DLPC initially as well as in follow-up , highlighting the test-retest reliability of fMRI . Conclusions : The results demonstrate the feasibility of using fMRI to detect an underlying pathology in symptomatic concussed athletes with normal structural imaging results and its potential to document recovery . Such information may be of considerable value for clinical judgment and patient management
Due to differences in modalities , time course , study design and outcomes , it is not possible to define a single ‘ physiological time window ’ for SRC recovery .
Multiple studies suggest physiological dysfunction may outlast current clinical measures of recovery , supporting a buffer zone of gradually increasing activity before full contact risk .
Aim or objective The aim of this study is to consoli date studies of physiological measures following sport-related concussion ( SRC ) to determine if a time course of postinjury altered neurobiology can be outlined .
This biological time course was considered with respect to clinical ly relevant outcomes such as vulnerability to repeat injury and safe timing of return to physical contact risk .