A new digital headset designed to measure changes in brain function could change decisions about how quickly an athlete is ready to return to play after a concussion. In an evaluation of the device, researchers at UC San Francisco found that it revealed brain changes even in athletes whose concussion symptoms had disappeared, suggesting they may be playing too fast.
Although the device has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it could fill an important niche among athletes, doctors, trainers and coaches concerned about the long-term effects of repeated sports-related concussions. These include chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
The headset — patented by UCSF and licensed by MindRhythm, a medical technology company — recorded changes in what the researchers call “headpulse,” which are subtle forces exerted on the skull as the heart contracts.
The researchers observed how the device performed in 101 young adults who played Australian Rules Football and had suffered 44 concussions. The results appeared on August 11, 2023 JAMA network opened.
On average, the changes detected by the headset lasted twelve days longer than the players’ symptoms.
“We found a mismatch between the symptoms and the changes in biometrics recorded by the device,” said Cathra Halabi, MD, of the UCSF Department of Neurology and the Weill Institute for Neurosciences, the study’s first author. “This raises concerns about relying on symptoms for return-to-play decisions. Delays may be recommended for symptom-free athletes if head pulse abnormalities persist.”
Researchers said the headset should be used in conjunction with medical expertise.
“We believe it can provide crucial objective biometric measurements that can be used by athletes and medical professionals to decide when to return to play,” said senior author Wade S. Smith, MD, PhD, chief of the UCSF Neurovascular Division and co -author. founder of MindRhythm. “The headset is also used to monitor athletes afterwards to ensure measures remain within the normal range.”
Concussion is at risk when physical activity is resumed
Exercising with a concussion puts the brain at increased risk of damage. “There is a rare condition called second impact syndrome, where a second concussion shortly afterward can cause almost immediate brain death,” Smith said.
More commonly, playing sports with a concussion can result in an increased risk of subsequent brain injury, due to symptoms such as slowed reaction time, impaired balance, or impaired vision.
“Recurrent concussions that occur in close succession can lead to more debilitating symptoms that last longer, keeping athletes out of the game,” Halabi said.
Although the headset was tested in young adults, its use may eventually be expanded to minors. MindRhythm hopes to receive FDA approval within a year, says co-founder and CEO John Keane. “The plan is to make the technology available to the medical community, with the most likely areas of interest being sports medicine and concussion clinics,” he said.
Concussed athletes may be able to record their own biometric measurements, the researchers noted. Doctors or sports trainers would monitor the data remotely and provide advice on when it is safe to resume sports and other physical activities.
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