U-M researchers play key part in concussion test

Researchers at the University of  Michigan are just about done hitting their heads on the wall when it comes to developing a new test for concussions – something professional sports is particularly interested in.Excerpt:NEW YORK – A simple, inexpensive test of reaction time may help determine on the sidelines whether an athlete has suffered a concussion, according to research released today that will be presented in April at the American Academy of Neurology’s 62nd annual meeting in Toronto.Research has shown that reaction time is slower after a concussion – even as long as several days after other symptoms have resolved. However, tests currently used to measure reaction time rely on computers and special software. That rules out their use in real-time situations such as games.”We view their reliance on computers a limiting factor for use in many clinical settings,” Dr. James T. Eckner of the University of Michigan Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in Ann Arbor told Reuters Health by email.Read the rest of the story here.