Preliminary investigation of Brain Network Activation (BNA) and its clinical utility in sport-related concussion.
BACKGROUND
The clinical diagnosis and management of patients with sport-related concussion is largely dependent on subjectively reported symptoms, clinical examinations, cognitive, balance, vestibular and oculomotor testing. Consequently, there is an unmet need for objective assessment tools that can identify the injury from a physiological perspective and add an important layer of information to the clinician's decision-making process.


OBJECTIVE
The goal of the study was to evaluate the clinical utility of the EEG-based tool named Brain Network Activation (BNA) as a longitudinal assessment method of brain function in the management of young athletes with concussion.


METHODS
Athletes with concussion (n = 86) and age-matched controls (n = 81) were evaluated at four time points with symptom questionnaires and BNA. BNA scores were calculated by comparing functional networks to a previously defined normative reference brain network model to the same cognitive task.


RESULTS
Subjects above 16 years of age exhibited a significant decrease in BNA scores immediately following injury, as well as notable changes in functional network activity, relative to the controls. Three representative case studies of the tested population are discussed in detail, to demonstrate the clinical utility of BNA.


CONCLUSION
The data support the utility of BNA to augment clinical examinations, symptoms and additional tests by providing an effective method for evaluating objective electrophysiological changes associated with sport-related concussions.
['Reches|A|A|', 'Kutcher|J|J|', 'Elbin|R J|RJ|', 'Or-Ly|H|H|', 'Sadeh|B|B|', 'Greer|J|J|', 'McAllister|D J|DJ|', 'Geva|A|A|', 'Kontos|A P|AP|']
D000293:Adolescent D056352:Athletes D001265:Athletic Injuries D001921:Brain D001924:Brain Concussion D003071:Cognition D004569:Electroencephalography D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D009415:Nerve Net D009483:Neuropsychological Tests D011930:Reaction Time D055815:Young Adult
Brain Network Activation (BNA) Concussion management electroencephalogram (EEG) event related potential (ERP) functional brain imaging mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) sports-related concussion (SRC)