FUTURE-DIRECTIONS FOR THE NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF SPORTS CONCUSSION

This article argues in favor of using newly developed computerized, co mplex reaction time (RT)-based neuropsychological procedures for the s tudy of sports-related concussion. Recent studies show that by using t hese complex RT procedures, significant differences between concussed and control samples can be observed. The magnitude of RT differences i s 110 ms or less, levels that are not meaningfully measured with stopw atch-based procedures. RT-based procedures also have the advantage of permitting analysis of variability of RT, and several recent studies h ave shown that brain dysfunction is accompanied by erratic and inconsi stent RT. A currently ongoing sports concussion study using measures o f complex RT and variability of RT is described.