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Sport Participation Type and Cognitive Function in Collegiate Student-Athletes.
Zarek O Harper1, Melissa N Anderson2, Margot Putukian3
1Otolaryngology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States.
International Journal of Sports Medicine
|January 12, 2026
Summary
Collision sports participation may impact cognitive performance, specifically in executive function tasks like the Trail Making Test difference (TMT-Diff). Athletes in collision sports showed slower TMT-Diff times compared to non-contact athletes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sports Medicine
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Concerns exist regarding neurocognitive deficits in contact and collision sports.
- Understanding the impact of sport type on cognitive function is crucial for athlete well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of sport type (collision, contact, non-contact) on cognitive performance.
- To assess cognitive function using the Trail Making Test (TMT) in student-athletes.
Main Methods:
- 543 student-athletes from two universities were categorized by sport type.
- Participants completed the Trail Making Test (TMT), assessing TMT-A, TMT-B, and TMT-Diff.
- Analyses of Covariance (ANCOVA) controlled for potential confounding variables.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were found in TMT-A or TMT-B completion times between sport groups.
- A significant difference was observed in TMT-Diff performance (p=0.002), with collision athletes performing worse.
- Post-hoc tests revealed significantly slower TMT-Diff times in contact/collision athletes compared to non-contact athletes (p=0.001).
Conclusions:
- Worsened TMT-Diff performance in collision athletes suggests a need for continued cognitive monitoring.
- Despite specific deficits, collision sport athletes performed better than the general college student population on TMT-Diff.
- Physical activity, including participation in sports, may confer cognitive benefits.
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