Objective The present study measured the cognitive functioning of concussed adolescents using Electroencephalography (EEG)/Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) to evaluate whether: 1) concussed adolescents exhibited deficits in neurocognitive functioning as reflected by neurophysiological alterations; 2) observed neurophysiological alterations would improve as days since injury increased; and 3) those neurophysiological improvements prove effective in tracking concussion recovery

Design Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal

Setting Lab Setting, McMaster University Campus

Participants Twenty-eight (28) healthy controls were compared to nineteen (19) concussed adolescents. Concussed adolescents were tested twice, where the test results were compared between Test 1 and Test 2, as well as each test being independently compared to the control group.

Interventions (or Assessment of Risk Factors) N/A

Outcome Measures The amplitude and latencies of the mismatch negativity (MMN), N2b, and P300 as elicited in response to passive and active oddball paradigms.

Main Results In Test 1, concussed adolescents demonstrated delayed and attenuated N2b responses (p < 0.05), as well as attenuated P3b responses relative to controls (p < 0.05). In Test 2, N2b responses returned to normative values (p > 0.05), while P3b alterations remained (p < 0.05). Furthermore, N2b response latencies correlated with the number of days since injury (B = -0.57, P < 0.05).

Conclusions These findings reveal compelling evidence of the ability of ERPs to detect cognitive consequences immediately after concussion, as well as also demonstrating their effectiveness in tracking recovery at the neurophysiological level.