Visuomotor adaptation learning not affected by repeated sport-related concussion. (October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stokes, William; Stilling, Joan; Anaya, Manuel; Statton, Matthew; St Pierre, Maria; Celnik, Pablo; Cantarero, Gabriela
• Is Part Of: Journal of concussion. Volume 6(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-10
• Subjects: Concussion -- sports-related concussion -- mTBI -- repetitive mTBI -- neuropsychology; Brain -- Concussion -- Periodicals; 617.481044
• DOI: 10.1177/20597002221130658
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2059-7002

Abstract

Sports-related concussions (SRC) have been associated with emotional, cognitive, and affective symptoms including a negative impact on motor-based learning. However, no study has assessed the impact of SRC on cerebellar-based motor learning. Cerebellar-based motor learning was assessed in three different groups of athletes with different SRC history: athletes with no history of SRC: athletes in the acute stage of SRC (within two weeks of injury), and athletes in the chronic stage of SRC (over one year after injury). We used a visuomotor adaptation task (VAT) to measure both explicit strategy-based learning and implicit error-based learning. We found that there was no difference in cerebellar dependent motor learning in SRC and non-SRC athletes. These findings suggest that the cerebellum may be more resilient to damage from SRCs than the motor cortex.