Sport experience and age account for visuomotor performance more than multiple concussion history and sex

Previous studies have consistently shown a decline in cognitive-motor integration (CMI) performance in those either with a history of concussion, less sport experience or of older age. The present study sought to characterize CMI performance of individuals as a function of these factors combined. Hypothesis: relative to those with one concussion, those with multiple concussions would experience significantly greater neuropathological effects on the brain networks required for standard and rule-based visuomotor performance, resulting in impaired motor performance. Study design: Individual cross-sectional study. Level of evidence: Level 3. Two hundred and twenty-three asymptomatic individuals with a concussion history participated in this study. They performed two touchscreen-based eye–hand coordination tasks, including a standard direct interaction task and one which involved CMI; target location and motor action were dissociated in the CMI task. A significant percentage of standard and CMI variance was explained only by age and sport experience in our sample of younger, mainly select-level athletes. These findings may suggest that motor developmental stage, which corresponds to age, and sport experience provide brain network resilience that can compensate for concussion-related performance declines. Clinical relevance: These data provide evidence around the importance of accounting for sport experience and developmental age when evaluating return to play metrics in youth and young adults.