Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2024
DOI
10.3390/s24217064
Publication Title
Sensors
Volume
24
Issue
21
Pages
7064 (1-11)
Abstract
Subconcussive blast exposure has been shown to alter neurological functioning. However, the extent to which neurological dysfunction persists after blast exposure is unknown. This longitudinal study examined the potential short- and long-term effects of repeated subconcussive blast exposure on neuromotor performance from heavy weapons training in military personnel. A total of 214 participants were assessed; 137 were exposed to repeated subconcussive blasts and 77 were not exposed to blasts (controls). Participants completed a short stepping-in-place task while an Android smartphone app placed on their thigh recorded movement kinematics. We showed acute suppression of neuromotor variability 6 h after subconcussive blast exposure, followed by a rebound to levels not different from baseline at the 72 h, 2-week, and 3-month post-tests. It is postulated that this suppression of neuromotor variability results from a reduction in the functional degrees of freedom from the subconcussive neurological insult. It is important to note that this change in behavior is short-lived, with a return to pre-blast exposure movement kinematics within 72 h.
Rights
© 2024 by the authors.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License.
Data Availability
Article states: "Data will be made available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author."
ORCID
0000-0001-7256-4508 (Rhea)
Original Publication Citation
Howard, C. K., Yamada, M., Dovel, M., Leverett, R., Hill, A., Manlapaz, K. A., Keyser, D. O., Hernandez, R. S., Rowe, S. S., Carr, W. S., Roy, M. J., & Rhea, C. K. (2024). An objective assessment of neuromotor control using a smartphone app after repeated subconcussive blast exposure. Sensors, 24(21), 1-11, Article 7064. https://doi.org/10.3390/s24217064
Repository Citation
Howard, Charlend K.; Yamada, Masahiro; Dovel, Marcia; Leverett, Rie; Hill, Alexander; Manlapaz, Kenneth A.; Keyser, David O.; Hernandez, Rene S.; Rowe, Sheilah S.; Carr, Walter S.; Roy, Michael S.; and Rhea, Christopher K., "An Objective Assessment of Neuromotor Control Using a Smartphone App After Repeated Subconcussive Blast Exposure" (2024). Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications. 127.
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/pt_pubs/127
Included in
Biomechanics Commons, Military and Veterans Studies Commons, Nervous System Commons, Neurology Commons