Neurophysiological Markers to Guide Return to Sport After Sport-Related Concussion

Abstract

Summary: Sport-related concussion (SRC) has been defined as a subset of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), without structural abnormalities, reflecting a functional disturbance. Over the past decade, SRC has gained increasing awareness and attention, which coincides with an increase in incidence rates. Because this injury has been considered one of the most challenging encounters for clinicians, there is a need for objective biomarkers to aid in diagnosis (i.e., presence/severity) and management (i.e., return to sport) of SRC/mTBI. The primary aim of this article was to present state-of-the-art neurophysiologic methods (e.g., electroencephalography, magnetoencephalography, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and autonomic nervous system) that are appropriate to investigate the complex pathophysiological process of a concussion. A secondary aim was to explore the potential for evidence-based markers to be used in clinical practice for SRC management. The article concludes with a discussion of future directions for SRC research with specific focus on clinical neurophysiology.

Circadian therapy interventions for glymphatic dysfunction in concussions injuries: A narrative review

“…7 Return-to-play laws have been passed for youth athletes and the related protocols are being continually refined. 8 Improved diagnosis via biological and clinical biomarkers is currently underway. 9 Finally, progress is being made on determining who is at risk for PPCS and the optimal treatments for PPCS.…”

Sports Neurophysiology—Keep Moving!

“…However, clinical validity is still lacking for many of those techniques, so clinical implementation of neurophysiology on a regular basis is thus far limited, despite their potential utility not only in the diagnosis but also in the further management of SRC including recovery and prognosis. In the first two articles of this topical issue, Brown et al 4 and Coenen et al 5 summarize those current and emerging neurophysiological techniques in the diagnosis and recovery of SRC. Besides highlighting the possibilities of providing the necessary multisystem assessment for patients with SRC, both manuscripts describe the current challenges for the clinical use of these techniques, which may often be seen in the lack of consistency and replicability of clinical data.…”