The Use of Electroencephalography as an Informative Tool in Assisting Early Clinical Management after Sport-Related Concussion: a Systematic Review

Sport-related concussion (SRC) is managed primarily through serial clinical evaluations throughout recovery. However, studies suggest that clinical measures may not be suitable to detect subtle alterations in functioning and are limited by numerous internal and external factors. Electroencephalography (EEG) has been used for over eight decades to discern altered function following illnesses and injuries, including traumatic brain injury. This study evaluated the associations between EEG measures and clinical presentation within three-months following SRC. A systematic review of the literature was performed in Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Web of Science databases following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses guidelines, yielding a total of 13 peer-reviewed articles. Most studies showed low to moderate bias and moderate to high quality. The majority of the existing literature on the impact of concussion within the first 3 months post-injury suggests that individuals with concussion show altered brain function, with EEG abnormalities outlasting clinical dysfunction. Of all EEG biomarkers evaluated, P300 shows the most promise and should be explored further. Despite the relatively high quality of included articles, significant limitations are still present within this body of literature, including potential conflicts of interest and proprietary algorithms, making it difficult to draw strong and meaningful conclusions on the use of EEG in the early stages of SRC. Therefore, further exploration of the relationship between EEG measures and acute clinical presentation is warranted to determine if EEG provides additional benefits over current clinical assessments and is a feasible tool in clinical settings.