Aim:We investigated whether children and adolescents with concussion history show cognitive–motor integration (CMI) deficits.Method:Asymptomatic children and adolescents with concussion history (n = 50; mean 12.84 years) and no history (n = 49; mean: 11.63 years) slid a cursor to targets using their finger on a dual-touch-screen laptop; target location and motor action were not aligned in the CMI task.Results:Children and adolescents with concussion history showed prolonged CMI deficits, in that their performance did not match that of no history controls until nearly 2 years postevent.Conclusion:These CMI deficits may be due to disruptions in fronto-parietal networks, contributing to an increased vulnerability to further injury. Current return-to-play assessments that do not test CMI may not fully capture functional abilities postconcussion.

Patients with known vascular disease are at increased risk for cognitive impairments. Exercise has been shown to improve cognition in healthy elderly populations and those with mild cognitive impairments. We explored the literature to understand exercise as a modality to improve cognition in those with vascular disease, focusing on dose-responses. A systematic review was conducted through 2017 using Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane, Ovid Embase, and Ovid MEDLINE databases. Eligible studies examined effects of exercise on memory and cognition in cardiovascular (CVD) or cerebrovascular disease (CBVD). Data extracted included group characteristics, exercise dosage and outcomes measures employed. Twenty-two studies (12 CVD, 10 CBVD) met the inclusion criteria. Interventions included aerobic, resistance, or mixed training, with neuropsychological test batteries assessing cognition. In CVD populations, five studies demonstrated improved cardiovascular fitness and cognition with aerobic training, and another seven studies suggested a dose-response. In CBVD trials, four studies reported improved cognition, with no effects observed in the fifth study. Another study found enhanced cognition with resistance training and four demonstrated a positive association between functional capacity and cognition following combined aerobic and resistance training. Exercise is able to positively affect cognitive performance in those with known vascular disease. There is evidence to suggest a dose–response relationship. Further research is required to optimize prescription.

We characterize bimanual coordination development for the first time in a large sample of children (n = 303) in relation to age, sex, and athletic experience. A further aim is to document the effect of these factors on development to indirectly gain insight into the neural processes that underlie this advanced level of eye–hand coordination. This was a cross-sectional design involving three age groups (range: 9–15 years) that were further separated by sex and level of athletic experience. Participants completed two bimanual tasks and a unimanual control task. While there was no significant change in unimanual movement speed, we observed that females performed the bimanual tasks faster, compared with males. Further, we found that select-level athletes had superior bimanual abilities. Lastly, we found an interaction of sex and skill across age. All groups achieved significant improvement in bimanual coordination with the exception of nonselect males. These data provide a description of normal bimanual coordination development in children during the developmentally crucial ages of 9–15 years, taking account of sex- and experience-related differences.