Concussions in athletes produce brain dysfunction as revealed by event-related potentials

We have used event-related potentials (ERP) to assess cerebral activity fol lowing mild traumatic brain injuries in 20 college athletes practising cont act sports. Concussion victims showed a striking decrease in P300 amplitude , an effect presumed to reflect alterations in attentional-cognitive proces ses. Moreover, the degree of impairment was strongly related to the severit y of post-concussion symptoms. Our data suggest that concussions cause obje ctively measurable changes in the electrophysiological markers of brain act ivity and hence in the functions of the structures from which they originat e. ERPs may thus constitute a reliable method to accurately monitor the cli nical course and recovery of head injuries in athletes. NeuroReport 11:4087 -4092 (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.