Recovery of symptoms, neurocognitive and vestibular-ocular-motor function and academic ability after sports-related concussion (SRC) in university-aged student-athletes: a systematic review

Background 

Physiological differences between a maturing and matured brain alters how Sports-Related Concussion (SRC) affects different age groups; therefore, a review specific to university-aged student-athletes is needed.

Objectives 

Determine time to recovery for symptom burden, neurocognitive and Vestibular-Ocular-Motor (VOM) function and academic impact in university-aged student-athletes. 

Methods 

Searches were conducted in PubMed, SpringerLink, PsycINFO, Science Direct, Scopus, Cochrane, Web of Science and EMBASE. Articles were included if they contained original data collected within 30 days in university-aged student-athletes, analysed SRC associated symptoms, neurocognitive or VOM function or academic ability and published in English. Two reviewers independently reviewed sources, using the Oxford Classification of Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) and the Downs and Black checklist, and independently extracting data before achieving consensus. 

Results 

58 articles met the inclusion criteria. Recovery of symptoms occurred by 7 and 3–5.3 days for neurocognition. The evidence base did not allow for a conclusion on recovery time for VOM function or academic ability. Few papers investigated recovery times at specified re-assessment time-points and have used vastly differing methodologies. 

Conclusions 

To fully understand the implication of SRC on the university-aged student-athlete’ studies using a multi-faceted approach at specific re-assessments time points are required.