Erratic swerving showed up in tests taken after young patients thought they had recovered
FRIDAY, Feb. 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Even after their symptoms disappear, concussion patients may still have difficulty driving, according to research published online Jan. 24 in the Journal of Neurotrauma.
The study included 14 college-age participants who were tested on a driving simulator within 48 hours after they no longer felt the effects of their concussions.
Despite feeling like they had recovered from their head injuries, the patients were still likely to drive erratically. At times, their skill levels were similar to driving after drinking, the University of Georgia researchers said. “They had less vehicle control while they were doing the driving simulation, and they swerved more within the lane,” study author Julianne Schmidt, Ph.D., of the University of Georgia College of Education’s department of kinesiology, said in a university news release.
“Despite being asymptomatic, concussed participants exhibited poorer vehicle control, especially when navigating curves,” the authors write. “Driving impairments may persist beyond when individuals with a concussion have returned to driving. Our study provides preliminary guidance regarding which neuropsychological functions may best indicate driving impairment following concussion.”
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