Article Text
Abstract
Objective: To investigate sex differences in baseline neuropsychological function and concussion symptoms between male and female collegiate athletes.
Methods: A post-test only design was used to examine baseline neuropsychological test scores and concussion symptoms. A total of 1209 NCAA Division I collegiate athletes from five northeastern universities in the USA completed a baseline ImPACT test. ImPACT, a computerised neuropsychological test battery, was administered during an athlete’s pre-season.
Results: Female athletes performed significantly better than male athletes on baseline verbal memory scores (p = 0.001), while male athletes performed significantly better than female athletes on baseline visual memory scores (p = 0.001). Female athletes endorsed a significant number of mild baseline symptoms as compared to male athletes.
Conclusions: Male and female athletes exhibit differences on baseline neuropsychological test performance and concussion symptoms.
- concussion symptoms
- ImPACT
- neuropsychological functioning
- sex differences
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Footnotes
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Published Online First 21 September 2006
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We would like to thank the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Research and Education Foundation for financial support of this study (302DGP002).
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Competing interests: None declared.