Cumulative effects of concussion in amateur athletes.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the possibility that athletes with multiple concussions show cumulative effects of injury.


METHODS
Amateur athletes with a history of three or more concussions were carefully matched (gender, age, education and sport) with athletes with no prior concussions. All completed a computerized neuropsychological test battery at preseason (ImPACT) and then within 5 days of sustaining a concussion (mean = 1.7 days).


RESULTS
There were differences between groups in symptom reporting and memory performance. At baseline (i.e. preseason), athletes with multiple concussions reported more symptoms than athletes with no history of concussion. At approximately 2 days post-injury, athletes with multiple concussions scored significantly lower on memory testing than athletes with a single concussion. Athletes with multiple concussions were 7.7 times more likely to demonstrate a major drop in memory perfomance than athletes with no previous concussions.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides preliminary evidence to suggest that athletes with multiple concussions might have cumulative effects.
Iverson
Grant L
GL
Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. giverson@interchange.ubc.ca
Gaetz
Michael
M
Lovell
Mark R
MR
Collins
Michael W
MW
D000293:Adolescent; D000647:Amnesia / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000523:psychology*; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D038223:Post-Concussion Syndrome / Q000523:psychology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time