Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27558141›Full record

ArticleSports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)2017

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 Hume, Alice Theadom, Gwyn N Lewis, Kenneth L Quarrie, Scott R Brown, Rosamund Hill, Stephen W Marshall

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 58 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
58citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
8.1field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

58 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 121 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Patria A HumeFaculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand. patria.hume@aut.ac.nz.
Alice TheadomNational Institute for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
Gwyn N LewisHealth and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
Kenneth L QuarrieNew Zealand Rugby, Wellington, New Zealand.
Scott R BrownFaculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand.
Rosamund HillDepartment of Neurology, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
Stephen W MarshallUniversity of North Carolina Injury Prevention Research Centre, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Auckland University of Technology · NZAuckland City Hospital · NZEducation New Zealand · NZUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimThis study investigated differences in cognitive function between former rugby and non-contact-sport players, and assessed the association between concussion history and cognitive function.

methodsOverall, 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-matched norms (US norms). Individual differences within groups were represented as SDs.

resultsThe elite-rugby group (n = 103) performed worse on tests of complex attention, processing speed, executive functioning, and cognitive flexibility than the non-contact-sport group (n = 65), and worse than the community-rugby group (n = 193) on complex attention. The community-rugby 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 community-rugby 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 group had greater individual differences on psychomotor speed and motor speed. The average number of concussions recalled per player was greater for elite rugby and community rugby than non-contact sport. Former players who recalled one or more concussions (elite rugby, 85 %; community rugby, 77 %; non-contact sport, 23 %) had worse scores on cognitive flexibility, executive functioning, and complex attention than players who did not recall experiencing a concussion.

conclusionsPast participation in rugby or a history of concussion were associated with small to moderate neurocognitive deficits (as indicated by worse CNS Vital Signs scores) in athletes post retirement from competitive sport.

Indexed as

Athletic InjuriesFootballAdultBrain ConcussionCognitionCognition DisordersCross-Sectional StudiesHumansMiddle AgedNeuropsychological TestsNew Zealand

Identifiers

PMID27558141
OpenAlexW2515110421

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.