Concussed Neural Signature is Substantially Different than Fatigue Neural Signature in Non-concussed Controls

Traumatic brain injuries can result in short-lived and long-lasting neurological impairment. Identifying the correct recovery timeframe is challenging, as balance-based metrics may be negatively impacted if testing is performed soon after exercise. Thirty-two healthy controls and seventeen concussed individuals performed a series of balance challenges, including virtual reality optical flow perturbation. The control group completed a backpacking protocol to induce moderate fatigue. Concussed participants had lower spectral power in the motor cortex and central sulcus when compared to fatigued controls. Moreover, concussed participants experienced a decrease in overall theta band spectral power while fatigued controls showed an increase in theta band spectral power. This neural signature may be useful to distinguish between concussed and non-concussed fatigued participants in future assessments.