ImPACT The trauma-induced change in mental status that often follows a TBI—a concussion—always corresponds with a drop in cognitive ability. In the late 1990s, Dr. Mark Lovell developed ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion and Cognitive Testing) to test for that change. This computer program challenges the test-taker to complete a series of tasks that measure attention, memory, response speed, and decision-making. But there's a catch: This test is most useful if the trauma victim completed it at least once before the injury, so that his "injured" score can be compared against his "normal" performance.
