Day: December 27, 2014

Currently it is suggested that the rate of concussions in high school athletes is 0.51 concussions per 1000 athlete exposures. There is current research pertaining to the effects of multiple concussions and their long lasting effects in Division I collegiate athletes and professional athletes but there has not been any studies of the long-term effects in high school athletes. A study was done looking at the relationship between prior concussions on baseline Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) in student athletes from 49 Maine High Schools in 2010. 85.3% of the athletes reported to having no prior history of concussions. There was not a significant difference in cognitive composite scores in baseline testing between the athletes with a previous history and without a previous history. The study did show that those athletes with a previous history had an increase in subjective symptoms scores, the researchers hypothesized that this could be associated with long-term development of depression, anxiety, or other mental health problems. The study did reveal gender-associated differences in their ImPACT cognitive composite scores and symptoms. It was found that high school girls had higher scores on verbal memory and processing speed, while boys had higher scores on the visual memory portion. Girls also reported more baseline symptoms that boys. For both girls and boys it was found that athletes who reported having a history of learning problems such as ADHA had overall lower scores as well. To see full study.