A - 17 The Relationship Between Functional Mobility Measures and Executive Function in Sports-Related TBI

Abstract Purpose Examine group differences in gait, balance, and executive function among individuals with sports-related-traumatic brain injury (TBI), non-sports-related TBI, and controls, and explore associations between mobility and executive function. Method Data were analyzed from 196 community-dwelling adults (mean age = 55.1 years, SD = 16.8, 62% female) enrolled in the Fitness, Aging, Stress, and TBI Exposure Repository (FASTER). Gait and balance were measured using accelerometers during normal-pace walking and static balance tasks. Composite executive function was derived from a battery of standardized neuropsychological tests. TBI history, mechanism, and severity were assessed using the Boston Assessment of Traumatic Brain Injury-Lifetime (BATL) to classify participants into sports-related-TBI (n = 33), non-sports-related-TBI (n = 44), or control (n = 119) groups. Results Group differences were found in stride length variability (H(2) = 6.85, p = 0.03) and stride velocity variability (H(2) = 6.41, p = 0.04). Post-hoc pairwise comparisons revealed individuals with sports-related-TBI (median = 2.55) exhibited greater stride length variability than non-sports-related-TBI (median = 1.86, p = 0.01) and controls (median = 2.09, p = 0.05). Those with sports-related-TBI also had greater stride velocity variability (median = 2.88) than non-sports-related-TBI (median = 2.07, p = 0.02) and controls (median = 2.23, p = 0.02). No group differences were found for other gait, balance, or executive function measures. There were no group differences in the association between gait or balance and executive function. Across the entire sample, an Age x Balance Interaction showed worse balance was associated with lower executive function performance in older adults (beta = −0.08, p = 0.05), but not young/middle-aged adults. Conclusions Observed differences in gait variability warrant greater attention among those with sports-related-TBI. Poor balance in adults without TBI may be indicative of cognitive decline in aging. The relationship between balance and executive function may be age-dependent.