Nonverbal hand movement durations indicate post-concussion symptoms of athletes

Abstract

Objective Concussions are common in sports and appear to be a risk factor for cognitive impairment and mental health problems. Methods of postconcussion diagnosis are still of debate, regarding sensitivity, objectivity, reliability, and costs. Spontaneous displays of nonverbal hand movement behavior during interaction are indicative of psychopathology and relatively simple to record and analyze. Background Increased durations of continuous (/irregular) body-focused hand movement activity in particular indicates psychopathology that overlaps in symptomatology with that of sport related concussions (SRC). We therefore hypothesized that the duration of irregular, on body, and act on each other hand movements is increased in athletes with SRC who suffer from post-concussion symptoms. Design/Methods Three matched groups were investigated: 14 symptomatic athletes with a concussion, 14 asymptomatic athletes with a concussion, and 12 non-concussed athletes. Four certified raters analyzed with the NEUROGES analysis system all nonverbal hand movements that were displayed during a videotaped standardized anamnesis about concussion history, incidence, course of action, and post-concussion symptoms. Results Irregular Structure units of symptomatic athletes are significantly longer when compared to asymptomatic athletes. Hand movement durations of irregular, on body, and act on each other correlate positively with post-concussion symptoms. The duration of irregular units significantly predicts the PCS score. Conclusions Increased durations of irregular hand movement units indicate postconcussion symptoms in athletes with sport-related concussions. Because the recording of spontaneous displays of nonverbal hand movement behavior is relatively simple and cost-efficient, we suggest using the neuropsychological analysis of hand movement behavior as a future diagnostic parameter of concussion management protocols.