Practical Use for Concussion ManagementĪ large study showed that professional rugby players with concussions have significant drops in NeuroTracker baselines compared to normative populations. This is important for concussion recovery because it demonstrates that the correct sequence and intensity of interventions is critical for enhancing a patient’s progress. Other research with NeuroTracker shows that if cognitive load is added progressively, overall learning can be accelerated. NeuroTracker research with professional athletes has shown that adding complex tasks in the early stages of training can result in an inefficient learning process. There are important consequences for how much cognitive load is added to a training program.
The effects positively increase brainwave frequencies at rest, and in ways that are associated with increased levels of neuroplasticity. NeuroTracker training results in similar effects on brainwave activity to taking Ritalin.NeuroTracker baselines correlate strongly with driving accident risks.Laparoscopic surgery performance is predicted by NeuroTracker measures, whereas other measures such as sleep quality and caffeine intake do not.Professional athletes have a superior capacity to learn and adapt to NeuroTracker training, and this is a fundamental property of their performance level.Other measures, such as reaction time tests, did not correlate with on-court performance. This was based on objective gameplay statistics such as turnovers and assists. NBA athletes baselined with NeuroTracker showed an 80% correlation with performance throughout a season.Several peer-reviewed published studies provide strong evidence that NeuroTracker measures relate strongly to human performance. It also relates directly to real-world performance demands.ĭirect Relevance to Real-World Performance When people are tested on NeuroTracker in 3D compared to 2D (non-stereo), it has a clear benefit to performance. 3D – activating stereoscopic processes which involve higher order brain functions.This is a common demand in dynamics scenes such as driving, crossing a busy road, or in sports play. Speed of processing – processing lots of complex visual information over short timescales.For this reason, people with deficiencies in these systems have a reduced field of view, for example with older people when driving. Integration in the visual field – extending visual processing over a larger field is more demanding and recruits a larger neural network.This also relates to everyday demands on the brain where there is often a need to focus on more than one thing at a time. Multi-tasking demands – through multiple object tracking the cognitive load of training can be increased to high levels.NeuroTracker has been scientifically developed over many years, and its evolution had to include the following characteristics. The neurological systems that NeuroTracker elicits are sensitive to the effects of concussion, and these systems are also adaptive. Visual processing is a very useful function for assessing brain trauma, and can also be used for guiding and re-educating recovery of brain functions. Here is an overview of the key points covered. Professor Faubert introduced NeuroTracker and explained why it is a relevant and potentially valuable tool for concussion specialists. He addressed a large audience composed of professional performance and medical sports practitioners, who were keen to find about the latest techniques in concussion management.
Professor Faubert presented at the Sports Physiotherapy Canada Concussion Symposium held recently in Ottawa.