680 MEP042 – Can whole-body perceptual-motor performance predict sport-related concussion?

AbstractBackground To date, conventional baseline cognitive assessments provide little information regarding risk for sport-related concussion (SRC). However, novel approaches to cognitive assessment, such as dual cognitive-motor tasks and examining variability in perceptual-motor performance, may provide insight into an athlete's susceptibility to SRC.Objective Examine the potential predictive ability of whole-body perceptual-motor performance in identifying prior SRC.Design Observational study.Setting University setting.Participants 39 Collegiate athletes at the varsity and intramural levels (19 female, 20 male), including 17 with a history of SRCs occurring 7 months to 10 years earlier.Assessment of Risk Factors Athletes completed a battery of whole-body single and dual-task cognitive measures using the TRAZER Sport Stimulator system and provided self-reported concussion history (independent variable). Main Outcomes Reaction time (RT), speed, acceleration, and deceleration metrics on five cognitive-motor measures, including single lateral and diagonal tasks (Lateral/Diagonal Agility Screening) and lateral dual-tasks (Flanker, Stroop, Arithmetic). RT was calculated as the average time between targets, while other metrics were based on average body displacement during movement sequences. Intra-individual variability in perceptual-motor efficiency across measures was calculated for each athlete.Results Athletes with prior SRC performed worse on RT, speed, deceleration, and acceleration metrics on tasks requiring a lateral single response and dual-task measures (p-values: 0.03 to <.001). Intra-individual variability across single and dual-tasks measures demonstrated acceptable SRC history classification (Speed Dispersion = .708; Composite Dispersion AUC = .746; and Speed Discrepancy AUC = .705). Performance on lateral single and dual-tasks demonstrated acceptable to strong SRC history classification (i.e., AUCs= 0.73–0.80).Conclusions These results highlight important relationships between whole-body agility, perceptual motor efficiency, and higher order cognitive functioning in SRC. Detection of subtle perceptual-motor impairment may help identify athletes at a heightened risk of future SRCs, underscoring the utility of novel cognitive-motor assessment in preventive sports medicine.