An Examination of Adolescent Athletes and Non-athletes on Baseline Neuropsychological Test Scores

Abstract

An estimated 15.3 million adolescent students are enrolled in high school. However, approximately 7.6 million participate in athletics. Research has examined different demographics in high school athletes, however athletic participation may play a larger role in test performance than previously thought. Currently, research involving concussion assessment utilizes non-injured athletes as controls, but due to the intense nature of athletics, this may not be appropriate. PURPOSE: Examine differences between athletes and non-athletes using a common computerized neuropsychological test. METHODS: 662 adolescent high school students (athletes (ATH): n = 383, non-athletes (NON): n = 279) were administered a computerized neuropsychological test battery (ImPACT ®) during baseline concussion assessment. Differences between groups were calculated using a one-way ANOVA. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 23.0. Significance levels were set a priori at p ≤ .05. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found between ATH and NON in Composite Verbal Memory (F(1, 660) = 4.653, p = .031), Composite Reaction Time (F(1, 660) = 15.869, p ≤ .001), and Total Symptom Score (F(1, 660) = 38.996, p ≤ .001). Non-athletes performed better on verbal memory and reported more symptoms, while ATH had faster reaction times. No significant differences were found in composite visual memory, composite visual motor, and composite impulse control (p ≥ 0.05). CONCLUSION: Significant differences were found between ATH and NON for symptom reporting, verbal memory, and reaction time. Athletes may have additional training or motivational factors during testing which may affect participation or return to play decisions. Overall, these significant differences in baseline performance should be accounted for when making concussion diagnostic and management decisions. Future research should be conducted to examine the influence of athletic participation on the recovery process to see if non-athletes can be used as healthy controls. Supported by: The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE).