INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 03 Program Schedule 02/15/2024 09:30 am - 10:40 am Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120) Poster Session 03: Neurotrauma \| Neurovascular Final Abstract #64 Objective and Subjective Cognitive Functioning and Depression in Athletes with a History of Sport-Related Concussion McKenna Sakamoto, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, United States Garrett Thomas, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, United States Megan Bradson, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, United States Peter Arnett, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, United States Category: Concussion/Mild TBI (Adult) Keyword 1: sports-related neuropsychology Keyword 2: depression Keyword 3: cognitive functioning Objective: Self-reported post-concussion symptoms play a central role in return-to-play decisions after sport-related concussion (SRC). However, studies examining the relationship between neuropsychological test performance (i.e., “objective cognitive functioning”) and self-reported cognitive post-concussion symptoms (i.e., “subjective cognitive functioning”) after SRC are surprisingly scarce, and results are mixed. Although further research is needed, depression could influence this relationship. Accordingly, this study examined the relationship between objective and subjective cognitive functioning and depression in collegiate-level athletes who sustained an SRC. We hypothesized that depression would be associated with increased cognitive symptom reporting in athletes who performed poorly on neuropsychological tests but that this relationship would not exist among athletes who performed well on these tests. Participants and Methods: Participants included 110 collegiate athletes who recently sustained an SRC. Objective cognitive functioning was measured using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Cognitive composite scores and intraindividual variability were calculated for two neurocognitive domains: attention/processing speed and memory. Subjective cognitive functioning was measured with the cognitive symptom domain of the Post Concussion Symptoms Scale (PCSS-Cog). Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory-Fast Screen (BDI-FS). Neurocognitive scores, BDI-FS scores, and their interactions were entered into distinct hierarchical linear regression analyses with PCSS-Cog scores as the dependent variable to determine if depression moderates the relationship between objective and subjective cognitive functioning. Simple effects tests were used to further understand interactions. The effect of depression was examined at high and low levels (±1SD) of neurocognitive scores. Results: There was a significant interaction between the memory composite and depression when predicting cognitive symptom reporting, F(1,106)=4.04, p=.047. Simple effects tests revealed that for athletes who had a lower memory composite score, each additional 1-point increase in BDI-FS score (i.e., increase in depressive symptoms) increased athletes’ PCSS-Cog score (i.e., increase in cognitive symptom reporting) by 0.60 points, t(107)=3.63, p<.001, η²=.11, 95%CI [-.27,0.93]. For athletes who had a higher memory composite score, this relationship was not significant, p=.618. The interactions between all other neurocognitive scores and depression were not significant (p=.176-.236). Conclusions: For tests of memory, depression moderated the relationship between objective and subjective cognitive functioning after SRC. Specifically, greater depressive symptoms were associated with increased cognitive post-concussion symptom reporting for athletes who performed poorly on tests of memory. Moreover, results suggested that when athletes with SRC are experiencing depression, their reporting of cognitive problems is amplified beyond what is accounted for in their performance on tests of memory. Self-reported cognitive symptoms provide critical information in SRC management, but it could also be critical to assess for depression, especially when athletes report high levels of cognitive dysfunction. Athletes reporting high depressive symptoms and cognitive dysfunction may need more comprehensive cognitive evaluations to inform return-to-play decisions, and depression could be a treatment target for athletes who continue to report high levels of cognitive dysfunction.

Poster

02/15/2024
09:30 am - 10:40 am
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)

Poster Session 03: Neurotrauma | Neurovascular

Final Abstract #64

Objective and Subjective Cognitive Functioning and Depression in Athletes with a History of Sport-Related Concussion

McKenna Sakamoto, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, United States
Garrett Thomas, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, United States
Megan Bradson, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, United States
Peter Arnett, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, United States

Category: Concussion/Mild TBI (Adult)

Keyword 1: sports-related neuropsychology
Keyword 2: depression
Keyword 3: cognitive functioning

Objective:

Self-reported post-concussion symptoms play a central role in return-to-play decisions after sport-related concussion (SRC). However, studies examining the relationship between neuropsychological test performance (i.e., “objective cognitive functioning”) and self-reported cognitive post-concussion symptoms (i.e., “subjective cognitive functioning”) after SRC are surprisingly scarce, and results are mixed. Although further research is needed, depression could influence this relationship. Accordingly, this study examined the relationship between objective and subjective cognitive functioning and depression in collegiate-level athletes who sustained an SRC. We hypothesized that depression would be associated with increased cognitive symptom reporting in athletes who performed poorly on neuropsychological tests but that this relationship would not exist among athletes who performed well on these tests.

Participants and Methods:

Participants included 110 collegiate athletes who recently sustained an SRC. Objective cognitive functioning was measured using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Cognitive composite scores and intraindividual variability were calculated for two neurocognitive domains: attention/processing speed and memory. Subjective cognitive functioning was measured with the cognitive symptom domain of the Post Concussion Symptoms Scale (PCSS-Cog). Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory-Fast Screen (BDI-FS). Neurocognitive scores, BDI-FS scores, and their interactions were entered into distinct hierarchical linear regression analyses with PCSS-Cog scores as the dependent variable to determine if depression moderates the relationship between objective and subjective cognitive functioning. Simple effects tests were used to further understand interactions. The effect of depression was examined at high and low levels (±1SD) of neurocognitive scores.

Results:

There was a significant interaction between the memory composite and depression when predicting cognitive symptom reporting, F(1,106)=4.04, p=.047. Simple effects tests revealed that for athletes who had a lower memory composite score, each additional 1-point increase in BDI-FS score (i.e., increase in depressive symptoms) increased athletes’ PCSS-Cog score (i.e., increase in cognitive symptom reporting) by 0.60 points, t(107)=3.63, p<.001, η²=.11, 95%CI [-.27,0.93]. For athletes who had a higher memory composite score, this relationship was not significant, p=.618. The interactions between all other neurocognitive scores and depression were not significant (p=.176-.236).

Conclusions:

For tests of memory, depression moderated the relationship between objective and subjective cognitive functioning after SRC. Specifically, greater depressive symptoms were associated with increased cognitive post-concussion symptom reporting for athletes who performed poorly on tests of memory. Moreover, results suggested that when athletes with SRC are experiencing depression, their reporting of cognitive problems is amplified beyond what is accounted for in their performance on tests of memory. Self-reported cognitive symptoms provide critical information in SRC management, but it could also be critical to assess for depression, especially when athletes report high levels of cognitive dysfunction. Athletes reporting high depressive symptoms and cognitive dysfunction may need more comprehensive cognitive evaluations to inform return-to-play decisions, and depression could be a treatment target for athletes who continue to report high levels of cognitive dysfunction.