Regional Blood Flow Alterations Following Pediatric Concussion: A PedCARE+MRI Substudy

This study examined whether cerebral blood flow (CBF) differed between children with concussion and orthopedic injury (OI) controls at 72 hours and 4 weeks post-injury. It also examined whether acute CBF and psychological resilience improved prediction of concussion symptoms beyond the existing 5P score prediction tool. 70 children with concussion (Mean age=13.05±2.02, 47% female) and 29 with OI (Mean age=12.59±1.97, 41% female) were included in this study. Regional CBF alterations were present in children with concussion versus OI, with some regional CBF varying over time. Specifically, increased CBF was found in anterior regions, and decreased CBF was found in posterior/temporal regions. Regional CBF, psychological resilience, and the 5P score combined did not predict 2- or 4-week concussion symptoms. Though clinical significance remains unclear, these results are important for understanding persistent neurobiological deficits after pediatric concussion, as they indicate clear regional CBF alterations.