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Contributions of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to sport concussion evaluation

Issue title: Sports and Concussion

Guest editors: Barry Willer and John J. Leddy

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Ptito, Alaina; * | Chen, Jen-Kaia | Johnston, Karen M.b

Affiliations: [a] Montreal Neurological Institute McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | [b] Concussion Clinic NeuroRehabilitation Program, Toronto Rehabilitation Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada | The State University of New York at Buffalo, Farber Hall, Main Street Campus, Buffalo, NY 14214-3079, USA

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Alain Ptito, PhD, Neuropsychology Department/Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2B4. Tel.: +1 514 398 8906; Fax: +1 514 398 1338; E-mail: alain.ptito@mcgill.ca

Keywords: Concussion, functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), post-concussive symptoms, depression

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-2007-22308

Journal: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 217-227, 2007

Published: 21 September 2007
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Abstract

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in contact sport is a problem of such magnitude that improved approaches to diagnosis, investigation and management are urgent. Concussion has traditionally been described as a transient, fully reversible, cerebral dysfunction. However, this seemingly ‘mild’ injury sometimes results in long-lasting and disabling post-concussion symptoms (PCS) and abnormal neuropsychological profiles characteristic of frontal and/or temporal lobe dysfunction. At present, the pathological changes following concussion remain unclear, but it is now widely accepted that concussion results mainly in functional disturbance rather than structural damage. Therefore, functional imaging techniques can help in demonstrating brain abnormalities undetectable by structural imaging methods.

This paper will review the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in studies of concussion. Our existing and ongoing fMRI studies will be described as examples to highlight the potential and contribution of this non-invasive functional neuroimaging technique in the assessment of sports-related concussion and its management.

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