Concussion baseline testing

[Lister Farrar]

Pre 'cross season concussion baseline testing

With a youth rider's concussion in sailing, it's a good reminder that experts like UVic and our own Nick Friesen recommend baseline testing to help with diagnosis, recovery, and return to play. I met Dr. Christie of the UVic lab at a school league race and he explained that testing is pretty much computer games (as I understand it), to measure your brain when you're well, so if you hit your head, they can compare and see if you're affected. And when you're recovered.

Besides the obvious health importance (second concussions can be much much more serious), its a time saver. Casey spent a long time (nearly a year?) figuring out concussion symptoms, which turned out to be whiplash (from a basketball to the head), that responded quickly to treatment.

Get tested, and they can tell if it's a real concussion, treat you better, and be surer when it's safe to go back.

I haven't called, but the phone number is up and i think all you have to do is call and make an appointment. No charge.

"Baseline and Post-Injury Assessment With NeuroTracker
The Christie lab employs NeuroTracker, a computer program that tests a patient's visual and cognitive-perceptual abilities. With NeuroTracker and related neurocognitive tests, the study aims to find sensitive measures to diagnose and test for concussion and potentially determine if programs such as NeuroTracker could be used a rehab tool.

All Vikes athletes are currently required to have a baseline assessment (ie. pre-season, no concussion) and a further assessment if the athelete sustains a concussion. The lab is continually recruiting participants of all ages to assess for both baseline and post-concussion assessments.

For more information please contact the project coordinator, Francesca Bell-Peters

Email: brainlab@uvic.ca / Office: (250)-472-5997"

https://www.uvic.ca/research/labs/chris ... /index.php

[Lister Farrar]

A real doctor has pointed out there is not yet scientific consensus on the validity of baseline testing, despite it being studied at UVic and offered in some clinics. Note the UVic brain lab is a study, not a diagnostic service. They are trying to validate one tool. As always, your doctor should be the decider on both diagnosis and return to play.

This article reports one view of the state of the discussion as of about 2 years ago. https://www.cbc.ca/.../concussions-baseline-testing-1...

Concerns include commercialisation of the tests (UVic is free tho), and validation that a post injury test is in fact an indication of health. So it sounds like the tests wouldn't hurt, as long as they are presented to your physician for any decision on the use of the results in diagnosis, treatment or return to play.

[LouiseF]

I've held off on comments on this thread but this is kinda up my alley since I did my dissertation research in brain injury and evaluate concussed (and other) individuals for a living.

I'm not sure who the "real" doctor who commented is but I agree with his or her comments that determining health, extent of injury, change from premorbid levels of fxn and safety to return to activities (not just sports) is a complex endeavor and there are indeed limitations to "quick and dirty" assessments (not saying that is what Dr. Christie's lab is doing since I understand they do good work over there and he's a great guy). There are many variables that contribute to an individual's response to both a bang to the head and the rehab and recovery process.

But the good news is, and science bears this out (although the histrionic media may suggest otherwise), that the majority of individuals who sustain mild concussions fully recover. But that doesn't make very exciting headlines.

[Alan]

I should also weigh in, since most medical screening on otherwise healthy people is simply not advised, in my opinion. i spent several years writing a book about medical screening and this kind of 'hunt' for a baseline is problematic on all sorts of levels. Testing is never harmless, whether they are looking for genes inside your foetus, the density of your bones, an antigen in your prostate gland, or your level of blood cholesterol, pressure or sugars, there are many things that could go wrong. This includes false positives, false negatives, overdiagnosis, and unnecessary treatment. Then there is what I call the unmeasured psychological impact of being given a diagnosis or a label on the basis of an unvalidated and unreliable test, and then dealing with all the downstream cascade of shit that could happen. IF you want to know more, let's discuss at coffee.
or if you're really desperate....
https://www.amazon.ca/Seeking-Sickness- ... 1771000325