Memory outcomes and interventions after sports-related traumatic brain injuries in pediatric and young adult athletes: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVE

Numerous pediatric and young adult athletes sustain sports-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) annually. One of the most common cognitive symptoms of TBIs is memory impairment. This scoping review aimed to synthesize literature on memory impairments following a sports-related TBI and what intervention programs are available to support post-TBI memory rehabilitation in pediatric and young adult athletes.

METHODS

Following the PRISMA guidelines, studies that examined memory after a sports-related TBI in athletes 24 years old and younger were eligible for inclusion. Among 1,067 abstracts screened, 161 full texts were reviewed and a total of 95 articles were included in this review. Risk of bias was also evaluated, including selection bias, measurement bias, and bias related to the reporting of data.

RESULTS

95 full-text articles were included in this review. 60 of 84 (71.43%) studies that included a comparison group or baseline score, observed a decrease in memory functions post-TBI in at least one type of memory. Visual and verbal memory were the two most studied types of memory, which were typically measured by the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT). American football and soccer were the most studied sports among the injured athletes. Only three interventional studies were identified that examined post-TBI memory rehabilitation in this population.

CONCLUSIONS

Memory impairment is common following a sport-related TBI in pediatric and young adult athletes. However, there is a lack of interventional efforts that target this cognitive deficit post-TBI.