Multiple Past Concussions in High School Hockey Players: Examining Cognitive Functioning and Symptom Reporting
Grant L Iverson1,2,3,4, Nathan E Cook1,4,5, Isabelle G Gilman6
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Summary
High school ice hockey players with prior concussions showed no cognitive differences but reported more symptoms. Health history, not concussion history, best predicted symptoms in this study.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Neuroscience
- Public Health
Background:
- Concussions are a significant concern in high school sports, particularly ice hockey.
- Understanding the long-term cognitive and symptomatic effects of repeated concussions is crucial for athlete well-being.
- Baseline assessments are vital for tracking changes and identifying risk factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare baseline cognitive function and symptom reporting in high school ice hockey players with varying histories of concussion.
- To identify health history variables that predict symptom reporting among these athletes.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 1616 male high school ice hockey players in Maine.
- Athletes were categorized by the number of self-reported prior concussions (0, 1, 2, 3+).
- Cognitive functioning was assessed using the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) battery, and symptom reporting via the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences in ImPACT cognitive functioning were observed between groups with different concussion histories.
- Athletes with three or more prior concussions reported higher total symptom scores, though effect sizes were small and not significant.
- Prior treatment for headaches, psychiatric conditions, and substance/alcohol use were significant predictors of total symptom scores, more so than concussion history.
Conclusions:
- Prior concussion history did not significantly impact baseline cognitive functioning in high school ice hockey players.
- Health history factors, such as previous medical treatments, were more strongly associated with symptom reporting than the number of concussions sustained.
- These findings suggest a need to consider broader health factors when assessing concussion-related symptoms in young athletes.
