Functional Neurological Disorder Presenting After Concussion: A Retrospective Case Series.

OBJECTIVE: Although a majority of individuals recover from a concussion within weeks of the index injury, a substantial minority of patients report persistent postconcussion symptoms. Some of these symptoms may reflect a diagnosis of functional neurological disorder (FND). The authors evaluated the relationship between persistent postconcussion symptoms and FND symptoms. METHODS: In this retrospective chart review, the authors characterized demographic and clinical information from 50 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of FND whose functional neurological symptoms started after a concussion. RESULTS: Patients who developed FND after a concussion had high rates of baseline risk factors for both persistent postconcussion symptoms and FND. After the concussive event, functional neurological symptoms presented abruptly or developed insidiously over time. Functional neurological symptoms ranged widely and included gait symptoms, seizures, speech and language symptoms, weakness, sensory symptoms, tremors, and vision and oculomotor symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Functional neurological symptoms can arise after a concussion. FND should be considered in the differential diagnosis of individuals presenting with neurological symptoms beginning after a concussion. By failing to recognize functional symptoms, clinicians may inadvertently reinforce negative health-related beliefs regarding a patient's injured brain.

Return to work in persons with persistent postconcussion symptoms: a survey study examining the perspectives of employees and managers.

OBJECTIVE: To examine challenges in return to work (RTW) for persons with persistent postconcussion symptoms (PPCS) experienced by the affected employees and their managers. METHODS: A survey of employees (S-E) and two surveys of managers (S-M1, S-M2) executed 4 months apart to capture the time perspective. Inclusion: Adults aged 18-66 with PPCS > 4 weeks, employed at the time of mTBI who returned to work within the previous year. Managers involved in their RTW process. OUTCOME MEASURES: Work status, working hours, work functioning (Work Role Functioning Questionnaire, WRFQ), work productivity. RESULTS: Ninety-two employees and 66 managers were recruited. Three-fourths of the employees had returned to work but only one-third worked under similar conditions. Weekly working hours decreased from 36,3 hours (SD = 10,5) before mTBI to 17,6 hours (SD = 9,7). Employees had difficulties with tasks 43% of time (WRFQ). They needed more breaks, struggled with multitasking and work speed. About 65.9% experienced affected work productivity. Managers reported lack of knowledge and difficulties assessing the number of working hours and suitable tasks. CONCLUSIONS: Most employees returned to work but only a minority worked under similar conditions as before mTBI. Employees and managers struggled to estimate workload. The affected employees and their workplaces need a long-term RTW support.

Understanding the Sociocognitive Determinants Underlying Intentions to Exercise for Postconcussion Symptom Relief: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior.

CONTEXT: This study investigated individual sociocognitive factors from the theory of planned behavior and their relationship to exercise for postconcussion recovery. DESIGN AND METHODS: Four hundred and fifty-nine Australian adults, two-thirds of whom had no concussion history (66%), completed an online survey of their beliefs and attitudes toward exercise for postconcussion recovery. Secondary questions evaluated program design features that could affect engagement (eg, session frequency). RESULTS: Structured equation modeling found that subjective norms were the strongest significant predictor of intention to participate in exercise for postconcussion recovery. Perceived behavioral control was also a significant predictor of intention to participate but to a lesser extent. Attitude did not predict participation intention. The design features identified as key were personalization and being supervised during the program. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that people's intention to participate in a program of exercise postconcussion recovery is shaped by individual psychological factors and identified program design features that could be adjusted for increased engagement. Program success could be maximized through strategies such as supporting individuals to have a stronger sense of control over their participation through the choice of session timing or frequency and harnessing the influence of significant others via supportive messaging from key professionals.

Resilience and Other Possible Outcomes After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: a Systematic Review.

The relation between resilience and mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) outcome has been theorized but empirical studies have been scarce. This systematic review aimed to describe the research in this area. Electronic databases (Medline, CINAHL, PsychINFO, SPORTdiscus, and PILOTS) were searched from inception to August 2015 for studies in which resilience was measured following TBI. The search terms included 'TBI' 'concussion' 'postconcussion' 'resilience' and 'hardiness'. Inclusion criteria were peer reviewed original research reports published in English, human participants aged 18 years and over with brain injury, and an accepted definition of mild TBI. Hand searching of identified articles was also undertaken. Of the 71 studies identified, five studies were accepted for review. These studies were formally assessed for risk of bias by two independent reviewers. Each study carried a risk of bias, most commonly a detection bias, but none were excluded on this basis. A narrative interpretation of the findings was used because the studies reflected fundamental differences in the conceptualization of resilience. No studies employed a trajectory based approach to measure a resilient outcome. In most cases, the eligible studies assessed trait resilience with a scale and used it as a predictor of outcome (postconcussion symptoms). Three of these studies showed that greater trait resilience was associated with better mild TBI outcomes (fewer symptoms). Future research of the adult mild TBI response that predicts a resilient outcome is encouraged. These studies could yield empirical evidence for a resilient, and other possible mild TBI outcomes.

Optimizing the Combination of Common Clinical Concussion Batteries to Predict Persistent Postconcussion Symptoms in a Prospective Cohort of Concussed Youth.

BACKGROUND: Studies have evaluated individual factors associated with persistent postconcussion symptoms (PPCS) in youth concussion, but no study has combined individual elements of common concussion batteries with patient characteristics, comorbidities, and visio-vestibular deficits in assessing an optimal model to predict PPCS. PURPOSE: To determine the combination of elements from 4 commonly used clinical concussion batteries and known patient characteristics and comorbid risk factors that maximize the ability to predict PPCS. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: We enrolled 198 concussed participants-87 developed PPCS and 111 did not-aged 8 to 19 years assessed within 14 days of injury from a suburban high school and the concussion program of a tertiary care academic medical center. We defined PPCS as a Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory (PCSI) score at 28 days from injury of ≥3 points compared with the preinjury PCSI score-scaled for younger children. Predictors included the individual elements of the visio-vestibular examination (VVE), Sport Concussion Assessment Tool, 5th Edition (SCAT-5), King-Devick test, and PCSI, in addition to age, sex, concussion history, and migraine headache history. The individual elements of these tests were grouped into interpretable factors using sparse principal component analysis. The 12 resultant factors were combined into a logistic regression and ranked by frequency of inclusion into the combined optimal model, whose predictive performance was compared with the VVE, initial PCSI, and the current existing predictive model (the Predicting and Prevention Postconcussive Problems in Pediatrics (5P) prediction rule) using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). RESULTS: A cluster of 2 factors (SCAT-5/PCSI symptoms and VVE near point of convergence/accommodation) emerged. A model fit with these factors had an AUC of 0.805 (95% CI, 0.661-0.929). This was a higher AUC point estimate, with overlapping 95% CIs, compared with the PCSI (AUC, 0.773 [95% CI, 0.617-0.912]), VVE (AUC, 0.736 [95% CI, 0.569-0.878]), and 5P Prediction Rule (AUC, 0.728 [95% CI, 0.554-0.870]). CONCLUSION: Among commonly used clinical assessments for youth concussion, a combination of symptom burden and the vision component of the VVE has the potential to augment predictive power for PPCS over either current risk models or individual batteries.

Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity in the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Sport-Related Concussion: A Content Analysis of Intervention Research and Call-To-Action.

This review was designed to (1) determine the extent to which the clinical science on sport-related concussion treatment and rehabilitation has considered social determinants of health (SDoH) or health equity and (2) offer recommendations to enhance the incorporation of SDoH and health equity in concussion treatment research and clinical care. The Concussion in Sport Group consensus statement (2023) was informed by two systematic reviews examining prescribed rest or exercise following concussion and targeted interventions to facilitate concussion recovery. We examined 31 studies, including 2,698 participants, from those two reviews. Race (k = 6; 19.4%) and ethnicity (k = 4; 12.9%) of the study samples were usually not reported. Four studies examined ethnicity (i.e., Hispanic), exclusively as a demographic category. Five studies (16.1%) examined race as a demographic category. Three studies (9.7%) examined socioeconomic status (SES; measured as household income) as a demographic category/sample descriptor and one study (3.2%) examined SES in-depth, by testing whether the treatment and control groups differed by SES. Five studies examined an SDoH domain in a descriptive manner and four studies in an inferential/intentional manner. No study mentioned SDoH, health equity, or disparities by name. Many studies (61.3%) excluded participants based on demographic, sociocultural, or health factors, primarily due to language proficiency. The new consensus statement includes recommendations for concussion treatment and rehabilitation that rely on an evidence base that has not included SDoH or studies addressing health equity. Researchers are encouraged to design treatment and rehabilitation studies that focus specifically on underrepresented groups to determine if they have specific and unique treatment and rehabilitation needs, whether certain practical modifications to treatment protocols might be necessary, and whether completion rates and treatment adherence and response are similar.

Memory Perfectionism is Associated with Persistent Memory Complaints after Concussion.

OBJECTIVE: The etiology of persistent memory complaints after concussion is poorly understood. Memory perfectionism (highly valuing memory ability and intolerance of minor memory lapses) may help explain why some people report persistent subjective memory problems in the absence of corresponding objective memory impairment. This study investigated the relationship between memory perfectionism and persistent memory complaints after concussion. METHODS: Secondary analysis of baseline data from a randomized controlled trial. Adults (N = 77; 61% women) with persistent symptoms following concussion were recruited from outpatient specialty clinics. Participants completed the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery, Test of Memory Malingering-Trial 1, and questionnaires measuring memory perfectionism (Metamemory in Adulthood-Achievement subscale), forgetfulness and other postconcussion symptoms (Rivermead Postconcussion Symptoms Questionnaire; RPQ), and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-2) at M = 17.8 weeks postinjury. Patients with versus without severe memory complaints (based on the RPQ) were compared. RESULTS: Memory perfectionism was associated cross-sectionally with severe memory complaint, after controlling for objective memory ability, overall cognitive ability, and depression (95% confidence interval for odds ratio = 1.11-1.40). Sensitivity analyses showed that this relationship did not depend on use of specific objective memory tests nor on inclusion of participants who failed performance validity testing. In a control comparison to test the specificity of identified relationships, memory perfectionism was not associated with severe fatigue (95% confidence interval for odds ratio = 0.91-1.07). CONCLUSIONS: Memory perfectionism may be a risk factor for persistent memory symptoms after concussion, with potential relevance to the spectrum of functional cognitive disorders more broadly.

Sports Medicine Update: Concussion.

A systematic approach is required for patients with a suspected concussion. Although standardized tools can aid in assessment, the diagnosis of concussion remains a clinical one. At the time of diagnosis, patients should be given both verbal and written review of the common symptoms of concussion, expected course of recovery, as well as strategies to manage symptoms. Most patients benefit from a brief period of rest, followed by a gradual reintroduction of activities, and a graduated return-to-sport protocol. Patients with prolonged recovery from a concussion may benefit from exercise, vestibular, and cognitive rehabilitation programs.

Health-related quality of life following adolescent sports-related concussion or fracture: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The longitudinal effects of sports-related concussion (SRC) in adolescents on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) remain poorly understood. Hence, the authors established two objectives of this study: 1) compare HRQOL outcomes among adolescents with an acute SRC or a sports-related extremity fracture (SREF) who were followed up until physician-documented clinical recovery; and 2) identify the clinical variables associated with worse HRQOL among adolescent SRC patients. METHODS: The authors conducted a prospective cohort study of adolescents with acute SRC and those with acute SREF who underwent clinical assessment and follow-up at tertiary subspecialty clinics. Longitudinal patient-reported HRQOL was measured at the time of initial assessment and at each follow-up appointment by using the adolescent version (age 13-18 years) of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) Generic Core Scale and Cognitive Functioning Scale. RESULTS: A total of 135 patients with SRC (60.0% male; mean age 14.7 years; time from injury to initial assessment 6 days) and 96 patients with SREF (59.4% male; mean age 14.1 years; time from injury to initial assessment 8 days) participated in the study. At the initial assessment, the SRC patients demonstrated significantly worse cognitive HRQOL and clinically meaningful impairments in school and overall HRQOL compared to the SREF patients. Clinical variables associated with a worse HRQOL among SRC patients differed by domain but were significantly affected by the patients' initial symptom burden and the development of delayed physician-documented clinical recovery (> 28 days postinjury). No persistent impairments in HRQOL were observed among SRC patients who were followed up until physician-documented clinical recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent SRC is associated with temporary impairments in HRQOL that have been shown to resolve in patients who are followed up until physician-documented clinical recovery. Future studies are needed to identify the clinicopathological features that are associated with impaired HRQOL and to assess whether the initiation of multidisciplinary, targeted rehabilitation strategies would lead to an improvement in HRQOL.

Pediatric concussion: biomechanical differences between outcomes of transient and persistent (> 4 weeks) postconcussion symptoms.

OBJECTIVE Currently, little is known about the biomechanics of head impact for concussion in youths (ages 5 to 18 years). Even less is known about the biomechanical characteristics and variables related to head impacts that may be useful in differentiating between transient and persistent postconcussion symptoms in a youth population. The purpose of this research was to examine the differences in biomechanics of youth head impact for transient postconcussion symptoms (TPCSs) and persistent postconcussion symptoms (PPCSs) by using data from a hospital population. METHODS In a laboratory setting and using physical, computational, and finite element models, the authors reconstructed falling events in a large cohort of patients who had sustained a brain injury that resulted in transient or persistent postconcussion symptoms. The falling events and resulting concussions for the TPCS and PPCS patient groups were analyzed in terms of force, energy, peak resultant linear and rotational accelerations, and maximum principal strain in the gray and white matter of the brain, as well as measurements of cumulative strain damage. RESULTS The results indicated that there were no significant differences between the groups for any of the variables analyzed. CONCLUSIONS With methods derived for use in an adult population, the magnitudes of peak linear acceleration for the youth data set were determined to be above the 50% risk of injury. The youth data set showed higher brain tissue strain responses for lower energy and impact velocities than measured in adults, suggesting that youths are at higher risk of concussive injury at lower event severities. A trend shown by some variables indicated that larger magnitudes of response were associated with PPCSs, but no single measurement variable consistently differentiated between the TPCS and PPCS groups. It is possible that using the biomechanics of head and brain responses to predict a subjective symptom load may not be appropriate. To enhance future biomechanical analyses, further investigations should include the use of quantifiable measures of brain injury linked to clinical outcomes and possible confounding factors such as history of brain injury and patient predisposition.