Memory outcomes and interventions after sports-related traumatic brain injuries in pediatric and young adult athletes: a scoping review.

Objective: Numerous pediatric and young adult athletes sustain sports-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) annually. One of the most common cognitive symptoms of TBIs is memory impairment. This scoping review aimed to synthesize literature on memory impairments following a sports-related TBI and what intervention programs are available to support post-TBI memory rehabilitation in pediatric and young adult athletes.

Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, studies that examined memory after a sports-related TBI in athletes 24 years old and younger were eligible for inclusion. Among 1,067 abstracts screened, 161 full texts were reviewed and a total of 95 articles were included in this review. Risk of bias was also evaluated, including selection bias, measurement bias, and bias related to the reporting of data.

Results: 95 full-text articles were included in this review. 60 of 84 (71.43%) studies that included a comparison group or baseline score, observed a decrease in memory functions post-TBI in at least one type of memory. Visual and verbal memory were the two most studied types of memory, which were typically measured by the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT). American football and soccer were the most studied sports among the injured athletes. Only three interventional studies were identified that examined post-TBI memory rehabilitation in this population.

Conclusions: Memory impairment is common following a sport-related TBI in pediatric and young adult athletes. However, there is a lack of interventional efforts that target this cognitive deficit post-TBI.