Department of Health Science, Athletic Training Research Laboratory, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2023 Aug 24;38(6):922-928. doi: 10.1093/arclin/acad015.
Neurocognitive testing and oculomotor assessment have been an integral component to provide objective measures for sport-related concussion (SRC) detection and management. Hormonal contraceptive (HC) use is common among collegiate female athletes and may modify baseline SRC performance. The purpose was to examine the effects of HC use on baseline computerized neurocognitive testing (CNT) and oculomotor testing in college-aged individuals.
A total of 63 participants (22 HC using females, 22 non-HC using females, 19 males) completed a baseline SRC battery consisting of CNT, near point of convergence (NPC), and the King-Devick (KD) test. CNT measures were composite scores of verbal and visual memory, visual motor processing speed and reaction time, impulse control, and cognitive efficiency index (CEI). NPC was measured as the average convergence distance across three trials. KD time was recorded as total time for each of the two trials and best trial marked as baseline.
There were no group differences between HC, non-HC, and male control groups on all baseline CNT composite scores (p = .13-.98), impulse control (p = .47), and CEI (p = .49). NPC distance was similar between groups (p = .41), as well as KD time by trial (Trial 1 p = .65; 2 p = .48) and best time (p = .49).
HC use does not appear to influence baseline SRC measures of neurocognition and oculomotor assessment. Clinicians should continue to consider the effects of modifying factors at baseline and post-concussion. Additional research is needed to better understand sex hormone levels and SRC performance measures.
神经认知测试和眼动评估是提供与运动相关的脑震荡 (SRC) 检测和管理的客观指标的重要组成部分。激素避孕（HC）在大学生女性运动员中很常见，可能会改变基线 SRC 表现。目的是研究 HC 使用对大学生基线计算机化神经认知测试 (CNT) 和眼动测试的影响。
共有 63 名参与者（22 名使用 HC 的女性、22 名未使用 HC 的女性、19 名男性）完成了一项基线 SRC 测试，包括 CNT、近点集合（NPC）和 King-Devick (KD) 测试。CNT 测量是言语和视觉记忆、视觉运动处理速度和反应时间、冲动控制和认知效率指数 (CEI) 的综合得分。NPC 是三个试验的平均集合距离。KD 时间记录为两个试验中的每个试验的总时间，最佳试验标记为基线。
在所有基线 CNT 综合得分（p = 0.13-0.98）、冲动控制（p = 0.47）和 CEI（p = 0.49）方面，HC、非 HC 和男性对照组之间没有组间差异。NPC 距离在各组之间相似（p = 0.41），试验 1 的 KD 时间（p = 0.65；2 p = 0.48）和最佳时间（p = 0.49）也相似。
HC 使用似乎不会影响 SRC 神经认知和眼动评估的基线测量。临床医生应继续考虑基线和脑震荡后改变因素的影响。需要进一步研究以更好地了解性激素水平和 SRC 表现测量。
