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Impaired eye movements in post-concussion syndrome indicate suboptimal brain function beyond the influence of depression, malingering or intellectual ability
Brain, 07/21/09

Heitger MH et al. – Post–concussion syndrome (PCS) can affect up to 20%–30% of patients with mild closed head injury (mCHI), comprising incomplete recovery and debilitating persistence of post–concussional symptoms. Eye movements relate closely to the functional integrity of the injured brain and eye movement function is impaired post–acutely in mCHI. Measurement of oculomotor function may be of value in PCS cases with a high symptom load but an otherwise unremarkable assessment profile. Routine oculomotor testing should be feasible in centres with existing access to this technology.

Exclusive Author Commentary
Marcus H. Heitger, 07/26/09

This is the first study to have examined eye movement function in patients presenting with post-concussion syndrome (PCS) after mild head injury. The findings indicate that eye movement function in PCS does not follow the normal recovery path of eye movements after mild head injury, marking ongoing cerebral impairment independently of patient self-report and neuropsychological assessment. The study adds a new facet to a body of evidence indicating that the function of the complex cerebral networks for eye movement control may be a useful indicator for the status/recovery of brain function after head injury. Whilst the functional deficits in question are unlikely to be noticed/perceived as impairment by individuals with mild head trauma, they can be measured and quantified via eye movement trackers. Due to its ability to sample subcortical/subconscious brain function, and its independence from factors such as intellectual ability, socioeconomic tier, level of education, and skill-level of everyday activity/occupation, eye movement assessment may be a useful screening tool to identify sub-optimal brain function during recovery from head injury, and thus contribute to an improved clinical assessment of patients recovering from head trauma.

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