1. Neuromotor changes in participants with a concussion history can be detected with a custom smartphone app.
- Author
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Rhea, Christopher K., Yamada, Masahiro, Kuznetsov, Nikita A., Jakiela, Jason T., LoJacono, Chanel T., Ross, Scott E., Haran, F. J., Bailie, Jason M., and Wright, W. Geoffrey
- Subjects
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BRAIN concussion , *EQUILIBRIUM testing , *MOBILE apps , *ANGULAR velocity , *MILITARY personnel , *TIME series analysis - Abstract
Neuromotor dysfunction after a concussion is common, but balance tests used to assess neuromotor dysfunction are typically subjective. Current objective balance tests are either cost- or space-prohibitive, or utilize a static balance protocol, which may mask neuromotor dysfunction due to the simplicity of the task. To address this gap, our team developed an Android-based smartphone app (portable and cost-effective) that uses the sensors in the device (objective) to record movement profiles during a stepping-in-place task (dynamic movement). The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which our custom smartphone app and protocol could discriminate neuromotor behavior between concussed and non-concussed participants. Data were collected at two university laboratories and two military sites. Participants included civilians and Service Members (N = 216) with and without a clinically diagnosed concussion. Kinematic and variability metrics were derived from a thigh angle time series while the participants completed a series of stepping-in-place tasks in three conditions: eyes open, eyes closed, and head shake. We observed that the standard deviation of the mean maximum angular velocity of the thigh was higher in the participants with a concussion history in the eyes closed and head shake conditions of the stepping-in-place task. Consistent with the optimal movement variability hypothesis, we showed that increased movement variability occurs in participants with a concussion history, for which our smartphone app and protocol were sensitive enough to capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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