Utility of providing a concussion definition in the assessment of concussion history in former NFL players

作者：Alosco Michael L; Jarnagin Johnny; Tripodis Yorghos; Martin Brett; Chaisson Christine; Baugh Christine M; Torres Alcy; Nowinski Christopher J; Cantu Robert C; Stern Robert A^*

来源：Brain Injury, 2017, 31(8): 1116-1123.

DOI：10.1080/02699052.2017.1294709

• American football
• concussion knowledge
• depression
• impulsivity
• mild traumatic brain injury

Objective: Former National Football League (NFL) players' working knowledge of concussion has not yet been evaluated, despite this population being a major clinical research target due to the association between repetitive head impacts (RHI) and long-term clinical impairments. This study examined former NFL players' understanding of the current concussion definition, and the association between number of concussions with, clinical function.
Methods: 95 former NFL players (mean age = 55.29; mean NFL year = 8.10) self-reported number of concussions before being provided with a concussion definition and after being read a modern definition of concussion. Subjects reported number of concussions with loss of consciousness (LOC), Principal Component Analysis of a battery of tests generated behaviour/mood, psychomotor speed/executive function, and verbal and visual memory factor scores.
Restilts: Post-definition number of concussions (median = 50); Was five times the pre-definition (median = 10; p < 0.001). Greater pre- (p = 0.019) and post-definition concussions (p = 0.036) correlated with worse behaviour/Mood scores, after controlling for years of football played, with specific effects for depressive symptoms and impulsivity. LOC did not account for variance beyond number of concussions.
Conclusions: Practitioners and clinical researchers should provide a definition of concussion in the assessment of concussion history in former football players to facilitate accuracy and standardization.

• 出版日期2017