Baseline scores on the King-Devick (K-D) Test, Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT), Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 3 (SCAT3), and convergence were evaluated in youth hockey players. Worse K-D times were associated with worse ImPACT visual motor speed and reaction time. Eleven concussed athletes were retested, and there was a trend toward improved ImPACT and K-D times compared to baseline.
Summary Points:
- Previous studies have shown an association between baseline K-D times and SCAT2 memory scores.
- This link between saccadic function and working memory may be due to co-localization of these functions within the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
- In this study, worse K-D times were associated with worse ImPACT visual motor speed and reaction time subtests.
- The injured subset received post-injury assessments, on average, 109 days after baseline testing and generally did not show worsening of ImPACT, SCAT3 memory, or K-D times post-injury, reflecting either continued developmental gains in these domains or a learning effect.
- This study supports the use of multiple assessment tools in the comprehensive clinical evaluation of pediatric concussion.