Impact and ImPACT are related in that one helps determine whether an athlete with a concussion is ready for the other.
Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing has taken on particular significance for the Steelers this week because of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
A blow to the head in Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons left Roethlisberger with a concussion, and results from his ImPACT exam at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center will factor into whether he plays against the Oakland Raiders.
ImPACT consists of eight tests taken on a computer over 25 minutes, said Dr. Mark Lovell, director of the sports medicine concussion program at UPMC.
They gauge everything from how an athlete's short-term memory and cognizant speed have been affected to how much that person is telling the truth in regard to the severity of their head injury.
"Athletes are so competitive that at times they can minimize symptoms," said Lovell, who also directs neurocognitive testing for the NFL and NHL. "You can't fake this test. If the individual is having some problems, we'll pick it up."
Those problems are picked up by tests like the one that involves word recognition.
Lovell said participants are given 12 words to remember, and those words are paired with a different one during the test.
The participant has to pick the one he or she was supposed to remember.
What makes the tests particularly effective, said Dr. Julian Bailes, chairman of the department of neurosurgery at West Virginia University, is there is usually a time limit.
This, Bailes said, adds an element of "stress" that makes it impossible for a person to hide the symptoms.
ImPACT is used widely among professional sports teams and colleges, Lovell said. Players are given "baseline" tests before their respective seasons. The results from those are compared with the ones generated by ImPACT exams for those who have suffered a concussion.
That is another way in which team doctors are able to determine the severity of head injuries like the one Roethlisberger suffered.
Confidentiality issues, among other things, prevented Lovell from talking about how Roethlisberger fared on his ImPACT exam.
Fans will get an idea of the outcome based on whether he plays against the Raiders.
"I think it is too early to make a final decision on that," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said Tuesday. "We have to leave that up to the people who are professionals."
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