NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL DEFICITS FOLLOWING CONCUSSION

The term 'concussion' has been applied to head injuries of varying sev erity. Most studies have examined subjects suffering concussion of a s everity requiring hospital observation, usually as a consequence of mo tor vehicle accidents. Milder concussive injuries such as those result ing from contact sport are often not reported in hospital-based studie s. In this study, subjects with mild concussive injuries were studied with the aim of determining ifneuropsychological sequelae are detectab le. The subjects received their injuries while playing Australian Rule s Football. Baseline (pre-injury) measures on the Paced Auditory Seria l Addition Test (PASAT), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and Fou r-Choice Reaction time, involving measures of decision time (DT) and m ovement time (MT), were obtained in a sample of 130 players. Ten playe rs subsequently concussed were re-tested at 5 days post-injury. A cont rol group of age-matched umpires were assessed on two corresponding oc casions. Analyses of covariance showed poorer performances following c oncussion on the DSST and DT measures. The results suggested that neur opsychological deficits are detectable after resolution of neurologica l symptoms in the early stages following mild concussive injury.