Neurocognitive Functioning and Symptom Reporting of High School Athletes Following a Single Concussion

The aim of this research was to evaluate the neurocognitive functioning and symptom reporting of high school athletes with the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) battery after sustaining a single sports-related concussion. The ImPACT battery was administered to 26 athletes at an average of 6.8 days after their head injury. ImPACT composite scores, including neurocognitive measures of Verbal Memory, Visual Memory, Processing Speed, and Reaction Time, as well as a Total Symptom Score, were also obtained from an equivalent group of 25 nonconcussed football players. The composite scores of the concussed athletes were lower but not statistically different than the nonconcussed athletes. The findings were consistent with previous ImPACT research that reported no differences between concussed and nonconcussed athletes 7 days after a concussion. The symptom scores of the concussed athletes, on the other hand, were significantly higher than those who had no concussion. The similarities and differences in ImPACT test performances of the present sample of concussed high school athletes as compared with previous studies of concussed high school athletes are discussed. This study raises awareness that with high school athletes, symptom complaints may persist, even after cognitive functioning has returned to preinjury levels.