title: Functional brain abnormalities are related to clinical recovery and time to return-to-play in athletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The relationship between athlete reports of symptoms, neurophysiological activation, and neuropsychological functioning is investigated in a sample of high school athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  All athletes were evaluated using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a computer-based battery of neurocognitive tests, and a subjective symptom scale. Athletes were evaluated within approximately 1 week of injury and again after clinical recovery using all assessment modalities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study found that abnormal fMRI results during the first week of recovery predicted clinical recovery. As a group, athletes who demonstrated hyperactivation on fMRI scans at the time of their first fMRI scan demonstrated a more prolonged clinical recovery than athletes who did not demonstrate hyperactivation at the time of their first fMRI scan.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate the relationship between neurophysiological, neuropsychological, and subjective symptom data in a relatively large sample composed primarily of concussed high school athletes. fMRI represents an important evolving technology for the understanding of brain recovery after concussion and may help shape return-to-play guidelines in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15203, USA. lovellmr@upmc.edu
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lovell
authors.forename: Jamie E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Pardini
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Welling
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bakal
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lazar
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roush
authors.forename: William F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Eddy
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008568:Memory; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013334:Students