James T Eckner1, Jingshen Wang2, Lindsay D Nelson3, Richard Bancroft4, Melissa Pohorence4, Xuming He2, Steven P Broglio5, Christopher C Giza6, Kevin M Guskiewicz7, Jeffrey S Kutcher8,9, Michael McCrea3. 1. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan, 325 E. Eisenhower Parkway, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, USA. jeckner@med.umich.edu. 2. Statistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. 3. Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA. 4. Athletics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. 5. Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. 6. Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA. 7. Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA. 8. Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. 9. The Sports Neurology Clinic, Brighton, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To compare pre-season to post-season changes on a battery of clinical neurological outcome measures between non-contact, contact, and collision sport athletes over multiple seasons of play. METHODS: 244 high school and collegiate athletes participating in multiple non-contact, contact, and collision sports completed standardized annual pre-season and post-season assessments over 1-4 years. Pre/post-season changes in 10 outcome measures assessing concussion symptoms, neurocognitive performance, and balance were compared between the groups using linear mixed models. RESULTS: Small, but statistically significant overall pre/post-season change differences were present between the groups for Axon computerized neurocognitive test processing speed, attention, and working memory speed scores (Axon-PS, Axon-Att, Axon-WMS), as well as Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) total score. Small seasonal declines not exceeding reliable-change thresholds were observed in the collision sport group relative to the contact and non-contact groups for Axon-PS and Axon-Att scores. The collision and contact sport groups demonstrated less pre-/post-season improvement than the non-contact sport group for Axon-WMA and BESS, with less BESS improvement also observed in the collision sport group relative to the contact sport group. Overall, longitudinal performance on all 10 outcome measures remained stable in all 3 groups over 4 years. CONCLUSION: Our findings do not necessarily support the notion that participation in sports associated with exposure to repetitive head impacts has clinically meaningful cumulative effects over the course of a season, nor over four consecutive seasons in high school and collegiate athletes.
OBJECTIVES: To compare pre-season to post-season changes on a battery of clinical neurological outcome measures between non-contact, contact, and collision sport athletes over multiple seasons of play. METHODS: 244 high school and collegiate athletes participating in multiple non-contact, contact, and collision sports completed standardized annual pre-season and post-season assessments over 1-4 years. Pre/post-season changes in 10 outcome measures assessing concussion symptoms, neurocognitive performance, and balance were compared between the groups using linear mixed models. RESULTS: Small, but statistically significant overall pre/post-season change differences were present between the groups for Axon computerized neurocognitive test processing speed, attention, and working memory speed scores (Axon-PS, Axon-Att, Axon-WMS), as well as Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) total score. Small seasonal declines not exceeding reliable-change thresholds were observed in the collision sport group relative to the contact and non-contact groups for Axon-PS and Axon-Att scores. The collision and contact sport groups demonstrated less pre-/post-season improvement than the non-contact sport group for Axon-WMA and BESS, with less BESS improvement also observed in the collision sport group relative to the contact sport group. Overall, longitudinal performance on all 10 outcome measures remained stable in all 3 groups over 4 years. CONCLUSION: Our findings do not necessarily support the notion that participation in sports associated with exposure to repetitive head impacts has clinically meaningful cumulative effects over the course of a season, nor over four consecutive seasons in high school and collegiate athletes.
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