Abstract
Concussion frequently results in executive function deficits that can be specifically probed using task-switching tasks. The current study examined in detail the influence of concussion on task switching performance using both spatial and numerical stimuli. Individuals with concussion (n = 16) were tested within 48 hours of injury and 7, 14, and 28 days later. Healthy sex-, age-, height-, weight- and activity-matched controls (n = 16) were also tested at the same intervals. Switch costs were significantly greater in the participants with concussion than in the controls for both types of stimuli. By contrast, the global costs on non-switching trials were unaffected by concussion. We conclude that concussion has pronounced negative effects on the ability to switch task sets that generalize across task combinations (spatial or numerical) and that persist across at least a month after injury.
Highlights
It is estimated that 1.6 to 3.8 million individuals suffer a sportsrelated concussion annually in the United States [1,2]
Previous studies have demonstrated task-switching deficits in moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) [9]; and we have recently shown that concussed adolescents display task-switching deficits for up to two months post-injury [10]
The lack of significant group by day interaction implies that, despite the improvement across days, the group differences observed in switch costs immediately after the injury remained 1 month later
Summary
It is estimated that 1.6 to 3.8 million individuals suffer a sportsrelated concussion annually in the United States [1,2]. We have demonstrated previously that individuals with concussion frequently suffer deficits in the ability to maintain and allocate attention within and between tasks [4,5,6], suggesting that concussed athletes suffer from disruptions to executive function. One means by which executive function can be effectively probed is by the use of task-switching paradigms. In such paradigms, subjects are required to actively switch the manner by which stimuli and responses are mapped to each other [7,8]. Previous studies have demonstrated task-switching deficits in moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) [9]; and we have recently shown that concussed adolescents display task-switching deficits for up to two months post-injury [10]
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