Shuttleworth-Rdwards Ann B, Radloff Sarah E
Department of Psychology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.
Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2008 Sep;23(5):511-20. doi: 10.1016/j.acn.2008.05.002. Epub 2008 Jun 27.
The aim of this study was to investigate the residual effects of concussion amongst players of Rugby Union from school through to the national adult level, with pre-season testing on tests of visuomotor processing speed (Digit Symbol; Trail Making Test A and B). Comparison groups included 124 male rugby players versus 102 non-contact sport controls; 71 forward versus 53 backline players. Across groups there was equivalence for age, education, estimated IQ, and hand motor dexterity. There was a significantly higher percentage of rugby players with 2+ concussions than controls. Poorer performance was in evidence for rugby players compared with controls on all tests of visuomotor speed, and for forward versus backline players on Digit Symbol, with clinically relevant medium effect sizes. The results implicate vulnerability amongst rugby players on the prototypically sensitive function of visuomotor processing in association with years of exposure to repetitive concussive and subconcussive injury.
本研究的目的是调查从学校到国家成人水平的英式橄榄球联盟球员脑震荡的残留影响,并在赛季前对视运动处理速度测试(数字符号;连线测验A和B)进行测试。对照组包括124名男性橄榄球运动员和102名非接触性运动对照组;71名前锋和53名后卫球员。各群体在年龄、教育程度、估计智商和手部运动灵活性方面相当。有2次及以上脑震荡的橄榄球运动员比例明显高于对照组。在所有视运动速度测试中,与对照组相比,橄榄球运动员的表现较差;在数字符号测试中,前锋与后卫球员相比表现较差,具有临床相关的中等效应量。结果表明,橄榄球运动员在视运动处理这一典型敏感功能方面存在易损性,这与多年接触重复性脑震荡和亚脑震荡损伤有关。