Long-Term Effects of Concussion on Electrophysiological Indices of Attention in Varsity College Athletes: An Event-Related Potential and Standardized Low-Resolution Brain Electromagnetic Tomography Approach

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of a past concussion on electrophysiological indices of attention in college athletes. Forty-four varsity football athletes (22 with at least one past concussion) participated in three neuropsychological tests and a two-tone auditory oddball task while undergoing high-density event-related potential (ERP) recording. Athletes previously diagnosed with a concussion experienced their most recent injury approximately 4 years before testing. Previously concussed and control athletes performed equivalently on three neuropsychological tests. Behavioral accuracy and reaction times on the oddball task were also equivalent across groups. However, athletes with a concussion history exhibited significantly larger N2 and P3b amplitudes and longer P3b latencies. Source localization using standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography indicated that athletes with a history of concussion generated larger electrical current density in the left inferior parietal gyrus compared to control athletes. These findings support the hypothesis that individuals with a past concussion recruit compensatory neural resources in order to meet executive functioning demands. High-density ERP measures combined with source localization provide an important method to detect long-term neural consequences of concussion in the absence of impaired neuropsychological performance.

Electrophysiological impact of multiple concussions in asymptomatic athletes: A re-analysis based on alpha activity during a visual-spatial attention task

“…According to a model proposed by Molfese (2015), neural networks reorganize after concussion by developing new local and distal networks to compensate for reductions of efficiency caused by brain damage. Ledwidge and Molfese (2016) provided evidence that concussed athletes generate atypical brain patterns by recruiting additional neuronal resources relative to controls in such a way that allows concussed athletes to achieve similar performance levels (McAllister, et al, 2001;McDonald, Saykin, & McAllister, 2012;Ozen, Itier, Preston, & Fernandes, 2013). When applied to current study findings, the recruitment of additional brain resources that may have taken place over several months postconcussion could explain normal behavioral performance levels in multi-concussed athletes.…”

“…For instance, event-related potential (ERP) studies revealed significant and persistent N1 (Gosselin, Theriault, Leclerc, Montplaisir, & Lassonde, 2006), N2 (Ledwidge & Molfese, 2016), P2 (Gosselin, et al, 2006), P3 (De Beaumont, Brisson, Lassonde, & Jolicoeur, 2007;Gaetz, Goodman, & Weinberg, 2000;Gosselin, et al, 2006;Ledwidge & Molfese, 2016;Theriault, De Beaumont, Gosselin, Filipinni, & Lassonde, 2009) waveform components alterations when concussed athletes performed cognitive tasks relying on attentional processes in the acute phase as well as several years post-accident relative to controls. ERPs are computed from the averaged EEG signal time-locked to an event of interest, often the presentation of a stimulus.…”

The Impact of Sports-Related Concussions on the Language System

“…The SRC-ERP literature has primarily examined changes in two cognitive-evoked ERP components, the N200 and P300 (see Brush and colleagues [40] for review). This research indicates that the amplitude and latency of the P300, reflecting context-updating and resource allocation [41,42], are altered following SRC during selective attention [43][44][45] and working memory [46,47]. The effects of SRC on the N200, indexing mismatch/novelty detection, cognitive control, and/or response monitoring depending on task demands [48], are less clear than the P300.…”

“…The effects of SRC on the N200, indexing mismatch/novelty detection, cognitive control, and/or response monitoring depending on task demands [48], are less clear than the P300. Some report altered N200 amplitudes [43,44,49] and latencies [49,50] associated with a history of concussion, whereas others failed to find differences in amplitude [46,50] or latency [43]. Importantly, these altered ERP correlates often occur despite normative performance on behavioral neuropsychological assessments [43,44,46].…”

“…ERP findings indicate that sports-related concussions are associated with long-term changes in cognitive brain function [44,46,51]. However, there remains a lack of understanding on how SRC may influence neural mechanisms of language processing.…”