Work

Preliminary Evaluation of the Circle Sequencing Task (CST) as a Cognitive–Motor Tool for Concussion Assessment

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Current pitchside concussion assessments are limited by low sensitivity, reliance on player self-report, and the need for on-site healthcare professionals. Impairments in cognitive function and motor control are a key predictor of concussive injury. The Circle Sequencing Task (CST) is a newly developed concussion assessment tool to assess both cognitive function and motor control in one test. Here, we seek to assess the CST’s ability to differentiate between healthy and recently concussed individuals relative to existing cognitive tests. Concussed (n = 13; mean age 26 ± 7 yrs) and healthy (n = 13; mean age 28 ± 9 yrs) participants completed the CST, the Trail Making Test, a Go/No-Go task, the Digit Span Test and a simple reaction time task online via a link. Concussed individuals showed significant deficits in inhibitory control (p = 0.01) and memory (p = 0.04) components of the CST compared to healthy controls, with these components showing a larger effect size (d = 1.05 and d = 0.78, respectively) than metrics derived from the existing cognitive tests of Go/No-Go (d = 0.37) and the Digit Span Test (d = 0.52). The findings provide preliminary evidence that CST-derived inhibitory control and memory metrics may differ between recently concussed individuals and healthy controls and warrant further validation in larger clinically controlled studies.

Source: Sports

DOI: 10.3390/sports14070269

Authors: Tyler Moore, Kirsty Brock, Jac Palmer, Ryan Baker, Naser Taleshi, Genevieve Williams

Institutions: University of Exeter, Plymouth Marjon University, Cardiff Metropolitan University

Language: English

Topic: Traumatic Brain Injury Research

Subfield: Epidemiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,172