The neuropsychology of sport concussion

Abstract

This thesis presents four empirical chapters that challenge current sport concussion research and practice. Chapter 2 measured sport concussion knowledge in the UK general public using an online survey. It showed high sport concussion awareness, but limited and erroneous understanding. Chapter 3 examined the effect of terminology (i.e., concussion; mild traumatic brain injury, mTBI; minor head injury, mHI) on familiarity, injury outcome expectations and symptom self-report in athletes using a questionnaire. The mTBI terminology was the least familiar, reliably more negative conceptualised, but knowledge was more accurate than the other two. Symptom self-report did not vary with terminology or injury history. Chapter 4 compared the late neuropsychological functioning in self-reported sport-concussed to non-concussed athletes using a comprehensive test battery. Injury self-report was associated with worse memory recall and executive function shifting. Chapter 5 piloted a computerised neuropsychological test battery in athletes using a longitudinal control group design. A single case study showed transient deficits in memory recall and executive function at one to six weeks post-concussion. The overall data suggest that (i) education is needed; (ii) the interchangeable terminology use is inappropriate; (iii) sport concussion assessment should be complemented by memory recall and executive function tests; (iv) case studies might be more appropriate than group comparisons.