Neurocognitive evaluation of adolescents recovering from sports-related concussion: A prospective cohort pilot study utilizing the National Institutes of Health Toolbox cognition Battery

This study explored NIHTB-CB’s utility in assessing cognitive recovery in adolescents with SRC. We hypothesized the NIHTB-CB is sensitive to detecting weaknesses in fluid, but not crystalized, cognition, and adolescents recovering from SRC exhibit greater weaknesses than orthopedically injured (OI) adolescents. Thirty-six participants diagnosed with SRC or OI were enrolled in a pilot study and completed the NIHTB-CB at the time of enrollment and 4–6 weeks post-injury clearance. A total of 14 participants were excluded from analyses due to attrition (<i>n</i> = 4) and PVT failure (<i>n</i> = 10), with 22 participants included in final analyses (SRC <i>n</i> = 10; OI <i>n =</i> 12). Overall and fluid cognition composite ANOVAs revealed significant effects of time (<i>p</i> &lt;.01), but not group (<i>p</i> &gt;.22). Working memory (<i>p</i> = .04; <i>d</i> = 0.49) and processing speed (<i>p</i> &lt;.01; <i>d</i> = 0.67) models indicated significant time effects. Models analyzing individual neurocognitive domains did not reveal significant group effects (<i>p</i> &gt;.05). Models examining crystalized cognition did not reveal significant effects of group (<i>p</i> &gt;.10), time (<i>p</i> &gt;.12), or interaction (<i>p</i> &gt;.35). These results did not indicate unique weaknesses in fluid cognition, concerning for NIHTB-CB’s sensitivity in detecting post-injury changes using an OI control group. The NIHTB-CB captured preserved crystallized cognition throughout recovery as hypothesized.