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Original article
Sex differences in baseline neuropsychological function and concussion symptoms of collegiate athletes
  1. T Covassin1,
  2. C B Swanik2,
  3. M Sachs3,
  4. Z Kendrick3,
  5. P Schatz4,
  6. E Zillmer5,
  7. C Kaminaris5
  1. 1Department of Kinesiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
  2. 2Department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
  3. 3Department of Kinesiology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
  4. 4Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia
  5. 5Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia
  1. Correspondence to:
 Tracey Covassin
 Department of Kinesiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA; covassin{at}msu.edu

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

https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2006.029496

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    Footnotes

    • Published Online First 21 September 2006

    • We would like to thank the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Research and Education Foundation for financial support of this study (302DGP002).

    • Competing interests: None declared.