A-93 Comorbidity or Concussion: Can we Tell the Difference?

Abstract

Abstract Objective To evaluate athletes with comorbid mood disturbances at baseline (without recent concussion) compared to those without mood symptoms tested post-concussion. This study is predicated upon previous findings showing that athletes with comorbidity at baseline demonstrate greater neurocognitive impairment, and report greater symptomatology, than healthy controls. It is currently unclear how athletes with comorbidity at baseline compare to athletes post-concussion. Method 119 college athletes completed objective neurocognitive testing, including measures of depression and anxiety. Athletes were separated into two groups: those with symptoms of comorbid anxiety/depression at baseline (n = 61,M = 35,F = 26) and those without such mood symptoms tested post-concussion (n = 58,M = 52,F = 6). All post-concussion athletes were tested within 14 days of injury. There were no overlapping athletes in these groups. Groups were compared on neurocognitive performance on mean z-score composites of Attention/Processing Speed (A/PS) and Memory. Results Regression results revealed that, on the A/PS composite, the Baseline Comorbid group (M = −0.15,SD = 0.64) did not differ significantly from the Post-Concussion Healthy Mood group (M = 0.05,SD = 0.62), t(117) = 1.75,p = 0.08, though there was a small effect size, d = 0.32. Additionally, on the Memory composite, the Baseline Comorbid Group (M = -0.12,SD = 0.69) did not differ from the Post-Concussion Healthy Mood group (M = -0.11,SD = 0.84), t(117) = 0.08,p = 0.94,d = 0.01. Conclusions These results suggest that athletes with comorbid anxiety/depression tested at baseline perform similarly to recently concussed athletes without mood disturbance, on objective neurocognitive measures. Thus, despite not experiencing recent injury, athletes with comorbidity present with similar neurocognitive profiles as athletes with recent concussions. These findings highlight the impact of comorbid mood disturbance on cognitive performance and demonstrate the importance of accounting for mood symptomatology when conducting neuropsychological assessments.