Date of Award:

5-2017

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Kinesiology and Health Science

Committee Chair(s)

Sydney Schaefer

Committee

Sydney Schaefer

Committee

Thomas S. Higbee

Committee

Breanna Studenka

Committee

Eadric Bressel

Committee

Idalis Villanueva

Abstract

The long-term ramifications of single and multiple concussions are unclear, though they exist in the forefront of present social and scientific inquiry. While suicides linked to concussion histories by prominent current and former athletes sensationalize the issue, questions abound as to the safe and timely return to work, sport, and active military duty following a concussive event in addition to the link between concussion history and neurological disorders. As such, identifying lingering or persistent alterations in function following concussion is essential.

Nonlinear characteristics of visual-motor task performance, including the complexity of the performance, provide an avenue for quantifying visual processing, error detection, and visual-motor integration. In the context of concussion, we observed that complexity decreases as individuals sustain increasing numbers of concussions. Though clinically asymptomatic, these individuals presented with performance that differed from those with no history of concussion. This suggests that concussions may impart lasting changes in the ways in which individuals use visual information to guide behavior.

Furthermore, nonlinear measures of visual-motor task performance may provide a way to identify individuals who have previously sustained a concussion. In fact, 70- 80% of the individuals predicted to have had a previous concussion based on their task performance did have such an history. Consequently, this task may provide clinically relevant indications of individuals who may merit further observation and evaluation as our understanding of the relationship between concussions and long-term neurological dysfunction, as well as additional related risk factors, continues to evolve

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