College Students Suffer Cognitive Impairment After Concussion |
by Jean Rickerson, Editor
June 5, 2011
DENVER
–
The
current
focus
on
sports-related
concussion
has
drawn
attention
to
its
effects
on
student-athletes.
College-age
athletes
who
suffered
a
concussion
performed
more
poorly
on
tests
for
verbal
memory,
according
to
research
being
presented
recently
at
the
58th
Annual
Meeting
of
the
American
College
of
Sports
Medicine
and
2nd
World
Congress
on
Exercise
is
Medicine®.
“In looking at 100 athletes from football, men’s soccer and women’s soccer, we found multiple signs of decreased cognitive processing.” Each participant received Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment Testing (Impact TM), as well as EEG testing while performing the Eriksen Flanker Task and an auditory oddball task.
Verbal memory was worse in those who had previously suffered a concussion compared with those who had not, according to Eric E. Hall, Ph.D., FACSM, principle investigator for the study. He said that these results, while not surprising, suggest the need for further research on the cognitive effects of concussion, particularly in the developing brains of children and adolescents.
Dr.
Ann
Glang,
a
research
scientist
at
the
Oregon
Center
for
Applied
Science
said,
"Dr.
Hall’s
findings
of
multiple
signs
of
decreased
cognitive
processing
in
concussed
collegiate
athletes
is
consistent
with
a
number
of
other
studies.
The
problems
identified
in
working
memory
are
particularly
challenging
for
college
athletes,
because
this
processing
capacity
underlies
so
much
of
learning.
The
work
being
done
in
states
where
concussion
laws
have
been
passed
is
critical
in
this
effort.
For
example,
in
Oregon,
where
Max’s
Law
was
enacted
in
2009,
the
Oregon
Concussion
Awareness
and
Management
Program
provides
information,
resources
and
tools
for
school
districts
so
that
they
can
better
care
for
student
athletes
who
experience
concussion.
These
types
of
resources
are
essential
for
schools,
who
are
being
asked
to
implement
new
policies
and
procedures
to
comply
with
new
laws." |
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