Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand.
National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
Sports Med. 2017 Jun;47(6):1209-1220. doi: 10.1007/s40279-016-0608-8.
This study investigated differences in cognitive function between former rugby and non-contact-sport players, and assessed the association between concussion history and cognitive function.
Overall, 366 former players (mean ± standard deviation [SD] age 43.3 ± 8.2 years) were recruited from October 2012 to April 2014. Engagement in sport, general health, sports injuries and concussion history, and demographic information were obtained from an online self-report questionnaire. Cognitive functioning was assessed using the online CNS Vital Signs neuropsychological test battery. Cohen's d effect size statistics were calculated for comparisons across player groups, concussion groups (one or more self-reported concussions versus no concussions) and between those groups with CNS Vital Signs age-matched norms (US norms). Individual differences within groups were represented as SDs.
The elite-rugby group (n = 103) performed worse on tests of complex attention, processing speed, executive functioning, and cognitive flexibility than the non-contact-sport group (n = 65), and worse than the community-rugby group (n = 193) on complex attention. The community-rugby group performed worse than the non-contact group on executive functioning and cognitive flexibility. Compared with US norms, all three former player groups performed worse on verbal memory and reaction time; rugby groups performed worse on processing speed, cognitive flexibility and executive functioning; and the community-rugby group performed worse on composite memory. The community-rugby group and non-contact-sport group performed slightly better than US norms on complex attention, as did the elite-rugby group for motor speed. All three player groups had greater individual differences than US norms on composite memory, verbal memory and reaction time. The elite-rugby group had greater individual differences on processing speed and complex attention, and the community-rugby group had greater individual differences on psychomotor speed and motor speed. The average number of concussions recalled per player was greater for elite rugby and community rugby than non-contact sport. Former players who recalled one or more concussions (elite rugby, 85 %; community rugby, 77 %; non-contact sport, 23 %) had worse scores on cognitive flexibility, executive functioning, and complex attention than players who did not recall experiencing a concussion.
Past participation in rugby or a history of concussion were associated with small to moderate neurocognitive deficits (as indicated by worse CNS Vital Signs scores) in athletes post retirement from competitive sport.
本研究旨在调查橄榄球运动员和非接触性运动运动员之间认知功能的差异，并评估脑震荡史与认知功能之间的关系。
2012 年 10 月至 2014 年 4 月期间，共招募了 366 名前橄榄球运动员（平均年龄为 43.3±8.2 岁）。通过在线自我报告问卷获取运动参与情况、总体健康状况、运动损伤和脑震荡史以及人口统计学信息。使用在线 CNS 生命体征神经心理学测试套件评估认知功能。使用 Cohen's d 效应量统计来比较运动员群体、脑震荡群体（一次或多次自我报告的脑震荡与无脑震荡）以及与 CNS 生命体征年龄匹配的美国正常人群之间的差异。群体内的个体差异用标准差表示。
精英橄榄球组（n=103）在复杂注意力、处理速度、执行功能和认知灵活性方面的表现均逊于非接触性运动组（n=65），在复杂注意力方面的表现也逊于社区橄榄球组（n=193）。社区橄榄球组在执行功能和认知灵活性方面的表现逊于非接触组。与美国正常人群相比，所有三个前橄榄球运动员群体在言语记忆和反应时间方面的表现均较差；橄榄球群体在处理速度、认知灵活性和执行功能方面表现较差；而社区橄榄球组在综合记忆方面表现较差。社区橄榄球组和非接触性运动组在复杂注意力方面的表现略优于美国正常人群，而精英橄榄球组在运动速度方面的表现优于美国正常人群。所有三个运动员群体在综合记忆、言语记忆和反应时间方面的个体差异均大于美国正常人群。精英橄榄球组在处理速度和复杂注意力方面的个体差异较大，社区橄榄球组在心理运动速度和运动速度方面的个体差异较大。每个运动员回忆的脑震荡次数在精英橄榄球和社区橄榄球中都比非接触性运动多。回忆起一次或多次脑震荡的前橄榄球运动员（精英橄榄球，85%；社区橄榄球，77%；非接触性运动，23%）在认知灵活性、执行功能和复杂注意力方面的得分均低于未报告经历脑震荡的运动员。
过去参与橄榄球运动或有脑震荡史与运动员从竞技运动退役后的轻度至中度神经认知缺陷（表现为 CNS 生命体征得分较低）有关。
