PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive Mental Health

Women may be at higher risk for sports-related concussion than men

by American Academy of Neurology
February 28, 2017
in Mental Health
(Photo credit: Andy/Flickr)

(Photo credit: Andy/Flickr)

[Subscribe to PsyPost on YouTube to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in psychology and neuroscience]

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Women athletes are 50 percent more likely than male athletes to have a sports-related concussion, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 69th Annual Meeting in Boston, April 22 to 28, 2017.

“Sports-related concussion is a significant public health problem and research has typically focused on male athletes,” said author James Noble, MD, of Columbia University in New York, N.Y., and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “Studies comparing male and female college athletes have often been limited in size and had incomplete follow-ups.”

This study looked at 1,203 athletes from 2000-2014 at Columbia University and included 822 men and 381 women who participated in sports like soccer, basketball and football. Participants took tests to measure thinking skills and processing speed before and after a concussion. The researchers also tracked symptoms and when participants returned to play after a concussion.

A total of 228 athletes in the study suffered at least one concussion during their college career, 88 women, or 23 percent, and 140 men, or 17 percent. Women were 50 percent more likely to have a concussion than men. Athletes who had suffered a previous concussion were three times more likely to have another concussion as those who had never had a concussion. In the gender comparable sports of soccer and basketball, women were more likely to have had a concussion.

“It is unclear why women appear to be at higher risk for sports-related concussions than men,” said Noble. “The findings from this study highlight the need for more research on the gender differences in concussion.”

While women appear to be more susceptible to concussions, the study indicates they recover from the injury just as quickly as men. The average return-to-play time was 10 days for both men and women.

Men and women had similar symptoms following a concussion, except when it came to amnesia and insomnia. The study found 44 percent of men experienced amnesia versus 31 percent of women. It also found 42 percent of women had insomnia compared with 29 percent of men.

ShareTweetSendScanShareSharePinSend

Get all the latest updates on new psychology research with the free PsyPost app.
 


NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP

STAY CONNECTED

TRENDING

Love isn’t blind: Romantic partners are fairly accurate judges of their better half’s abilities, study indicates

Coffee drinking is largely unrelated to psychological well-being, according to new research

Adolescents without depressive symptoms show a bias toward faces with positive emotions

Study suggests shared reality plays a critical role in stressor reactivity among women

Mothers’ depressive symptoms appear to affect children’s socio-emotional development, partly through parenting practices

Neuroscience research suggests LSD might enhance learning and memory by promoting brain plasticity

RECENT

Researchers identify specific neural networks that are activated by religious worship

Study finds economic inequality promotes belief in conspiracy theories

Study among Roman Catholic clergy and nuns suggests spiritual openness may facilitate better mental health

Love isn’t blind: Romantic partners are fairly accurate judges of their better half’s abilities, study indicates

Adolescents without depressive symptoms show a bias toward faces with positive emotions

  • Cognitive Science
  • COVID-19
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Drug Research
  • Conspiracy Theories
  • Meditation
  • Psychology of Religion
  • Aviation Psychology and Human Factors
  • Relationships and Sexual Health
Powered by

About

PsyPost is a psychology and neuroscience news website dedicated to reporting the latest research on human behavior, cognition, and society. (READ MORE...)

  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy

No Result
View All Result
  • About
    • Newsletter signup form
  • Cart
  • Checkout
  • Contact
  • Contact us
  • My account
  • Privacy policy
  • Psychology news
  • PsyPost app privacy policy
  • Shop
  • SmartMag Home

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used.