Organisation, year published | Definition of concussion | Domains assessed | Key features | Definition mTBI? Link concussion - TBI? | Notes |
Concussion in sports group,12 28–30 2002, 2005, 2009, 2013 | ‘A complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain, induced by traumatic biomechanical forces’ that ‘may be caused by a direct blow to the head, face, neck or elsewhere in the body with an impulsive force transmitted to the head’. Common features include:
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Onset: rapid Duration: short-lived Mechanism of impairment: functional disturbance rather than structural injury LOC: may or may not Resolution: sequential Neuroimaging: no abnormalities on standard structural neuroimaging | No (concussion is considered as subset of TBI) | This definition also comments on typical neuroimaging features in concussion. |
American Medical Society for Sports Medicine,31 2013 | ‘A concussion is defined as a traumatically induced transient disturbance of brain function and is caused by a complex pathophysiological process. Concussions have also been referred to as mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI). While all concussions are mTBIs, not all mTBIs are concussions. Concussions are a subset of mTBIs, on the less-severe end of the brain injury spectrum and are generally self-limited in duration and resolution’. |
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Onset: not specified Duration: transient, self-limited Mechanism of impairment: functional disturbance LOC: may or may not Resolution: not specified Neuroimaging: not specified | No (concussion is considered as subset of mTBI) | |
National Athletic Trainers' Association,33 34 2004, 2014 | ‘Trauma-induced alteration in mental status that may or may not involve loss of consciousness’ |
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Onset: not specified Duration: not specified Mechanism of impairment: not specified LOC: may or may not Resolution: not specified Neuroimaging: not specified | No (concussion and mTBI are used interchangeably) | |
American Academy of Neurology,32 46 1997, 2013 | ‘Concussion is a trauma-induced alteration in mental status that may or may not involve loss of consciousness. Confusion and amnesia are the hallmarks of concussion. The confusional episode and amnesia may occur immediately after the blow to the head or several minutes later’. |
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Onset: immediate or within mins Duration: not specified Mechanism of impairment: not specified LOC: may or may not Resolution: not specified Neuroimaging: not specified | No (concussion and mTBI are used interchangeably) | 1997 definition was used as the 2013 revision provided a shortened definition only. |
Team Physician Consensus statements (AAFP, AAOS, ACSM, AMSSM, AOSSM, AOASM),35 36 2006, 2011 | ‘Concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a pathophysiological process affecting the brain induced by direct or indirect biomechanical forces’. Common features include:
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Onset: rapid Duration: short-lived Mechanism of impairment: functional disturbance rather than structural injury LOC: may or may not Resolution: spontaneous Neuroimaging: no abnormalities on standard structural neuroimaging | Combined definition for mTBI and concussion | This definition also comments on typical neuroimaging features in concussion. |
Congress of Neurological Surgeons,37 1966 | ‘a clinical syndrome characterized by the immediate and transient post-traumatic impairment of neural function such as alteration of consciousness, disturbance of vision or equilibrium due to mechanical forces'. |
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Onset: immediate Duration: transient Mechanism of impairment: not specified LOC: may or may not Resolution: not specified Neuroimaging: not specified | Not specified |
*In case of revised concussion definitions from the same group, the most recent version was considered if not stated otherwise.
AAFP, American Academy of Family Physicians; AAOS, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; ACSM, American College of Sports Medicine; AMSSM, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine; AOSSM, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine; AOASM, American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine; LOC, loss of consciousness; mTBI, mild traumatic brain injury.