LAUSR

Research Objectives To investigate the symptomatic impact and applicability of High Intensity Interval Training as a novel approach during fMRI-guided treatment in patients with Post-Concussion Syndrome. Design Post Concussion Symptom Scale data from patients who participated in multimodal fMRI-guided PCS therapy was evaluated to compare patients who had not participated in HIIT during treatment versus patients who had participated in aerobic exercise but not HIIT during their treatment. Setting Patients whose data was analyzed participated in fMRI-based therapy, as pushlished in Wing et al., 2017, at the concussion treatment center Cognitive FX in Provo UT. Participants Patients who had not participated in HIIT activity during their treatment (F = 193, M = 140, Age = 8-79 years). Patients who had participated in HIIT during their treatment (F = 189, M = 108, Age = 8-72 years). Patient data was eliminated from analysis if the patient's file was incomplete. One Way ANOVA, including Tukey HSD, was performed. P Interventions The non-HIIT arobic exercise group participated in sustain aerobic exercise. The HIIT group participated in HIIT exercise as discussed in Lucas et al., 2015 and Cassidy et al., 2017. Main Outcome Measures Main outcome measures included Total Post-Concussion Symtpom Scale Score. Results Pairwise comparisons revealed no difference between non-HIIT-RC (n = 294) and HIIT-RC group (n = 293) data for pre-treatment PCSS scoring nor for post-treatment. Comparisons did show significant improvement of PCSS scoring after treatment in both non-HIIT groups and HIIT. Conclusions Despite the introduction of HIIT protocols to an already strenuous modality of PCS treatment, no significant increases in PCSS reporting were detected despite the patient population evaluated being prone to exacerbation of symptoms during or after periods of intense physical exertion, also called exercise intolerance. As application of HIIT does not correlate with reduced short-term symptom outcomes, further research will include evaluating HIIT's effect on longitudinal PCSS and fMRI data. Author(s) Disclosures Drs. Fong and Allen are co-founders of Cognitive FX. Dr. Loewen, Mr. Benson, and Ms. Ward are employed by Cognitive FX.