Blog
Patient symptom report remains the most accurate method of sport concussion assessment
A study found that an athlete’s symptom report is more accurate for concussion diagnosis than the Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC), a cognitive evaluation commonly used as part of the Sports Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT).
A SCAT assessment modified for para-athletes could work for concussion assessment in some types of disabilities
A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine examined whether the sports concussion assessment tool, version 5 (SCAT5), could be utilized for para-athletes with a visual impairment, a spinal cord injury, or a limb deficiency.
New imaging technique may facilitate future diagnosis of concussion via MRI
In a recent study, Lily Li-Wen Wang et al. found that macrophage-adhering GLAMs can be used to identify the presence of mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) that do not show up on standard MRI brain scans.
Novel hand-held eye (retina) scanning device measures biomarkers and accurately identifies brain injury in pig eyes
A recent study reported results on a handheld device, tested on a pig model, that can scan the retina of the eye to detect biochemical markers produced by the brain immediately after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).
Study finds marker of functional brain activity and vasculature more accurate than ImPACT testing
A study found that these measures of blood oxygen variability (measured with fMRI) are significantly better at detecting concussion in athletes than widely used computerized cognitive diagnostic testing (i.e., ImPACT)
Adolescents with exercise-induced vision dysfunction have a 3-fold greater relative risk of developing persistent postconcussive symptoms
Results from a recent study published in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine indicated that youth with exercise-induced vision dysfunction following sport-related concussion were at “a 3-folder greater risk” of developing persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS) compared to those without exercise-induced vision dysfunction.
Neuroinflammation found in athletes with persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS)
A study published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation found that athletes with PPCS due to sports-related concussions (SRC) have elevated levels of inflammation in the brain. Of 27 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of inflammation tested for, eight were significantly higher in athletes with PPCS compared to healthy controls.
Researchers find vestibular dysfunction stems from injury to the peripheral vestibular system
In a study published in the Journal of Neurotrauma, researchers aimed to “establish whether vestibular dysfunction … is of central, peripheral, or combined origin.” They found that vestibular dysfunction is associated with peripheral vestibular system injury.
New research to develop better diagnostic tools for diagnosing mTBI in the elderly
"Adults over the age of 75 have had the highest incidence of traumatic brain injuries" and better diagnostic tools are needed. BrainBox has received a grant to create a clinical solution that accurately captures the diagnosis and prognosis of mTBI in elderly patients.
Children with assault-related concussion have worse outcomes and are less-likely to get proper evaluation than those with sport-related concussion
A study found significant disparities in diagnosis and outcomes between children presenting to a pediatric hospital with assault-related (ARC) and sports-related concussion (SRC).