A Comparison of Cognitive Function in Former Rugby Union Players Compared with Former Non-Contact-Sport Players and the
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
A Comparison of Cognitive Function in Former Rugby Union Players Compared with Former Non-Contact-Sport Players and the Impact of Concussion History Patria A. Hume1 • Alice Theadom2 • Gwyn N. Lewis3 • Kenneth L. Quarrie4 Scott R. Brown1 • Rosamund Hill5 • Stephen W. Marshall6
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Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016
Abstract Aim 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. Methods 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-
This article is part of the Topical Collection on Rugby Health. & Patria A. Hume [email protected] 1
Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
2
National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
3
Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
4
New Zealand Rugby, Wellington, New Zealand
5
Department of Neurology, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand
6
University of North Carolina Injury Prevention Research Centre, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
matched norms (US norms). Individual differences within groups were represented as SDs. Results The elite-rugby group (n = 103) performed worse on tests of complex attention, processing speed, executive functioning, and cognitive flexibility than the non-contactsport group (n = 65), and worse than the community-rugby group (n = 193) on complex attention. The communityrugby 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 communityrugby 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 gro
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