Concussed Athletes With ADHD at Heightened Risk for Persistent Mood Changes
By Megan Brooks
NEW YORKâAthletes with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face a greater risk for developing symptoms of anxiety and depression after a concussion than their peers without ADHD, new research suggests.
"These findings suggest that ADHD and concussion may have a cumulative effect on anxiety and depression beyond that of either ADHD or concussion alone" Dr. Robert Davis Moore of the University of South Carolina in Columbia, said in a statement.
He will present the study results July 20 at the American Academy of Neurology's Sports Concussion Conference in Indianapolis.
While studies have looked at the influence of ADHD on neuropsychological and cognitive outcomes of concussion, "this is the first study to look at it in mental health," Dr. Moore told Reuters Health.
"Athletes with ADHD may have persisting alterations in mood following concussion. This is important because there is a high prevalence of ADHD in athletes," said Moore.
As part of the athlete performance health and wellness program at the University of South Carolina, the researchers collected information on ADHD and concussion history in 979 NCAA Division I college athletes. The athletes also completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale before the start of their sporting season.
The athletes were divided into four groups: those with ADHD and concussion; those with ADHD but not concussion; those with concussion and no ADHD; and those with neither a history of concussion nor ADHD.
The researchers found that anxiety and depression scores were significantly higher in athletes with both ADHD and concussion than any of the other groups.
Scores on the anxiety questionnaire range from 20 to 80. Athletes with ADHD and concussion had an average score of 42 compared with an average score of 33 for the other three groups.
Scores on the depression screen range from zero to 60, with scores of 16 or higher indicating risk for clinical depression. The athletes with both concussion and ADHD had an average score of 26, compared with an average score of 16 for the other three groups.
"Our results support mental health screening after concussion," said Moore. "Unfortunately, the current recommendations are to use the SCAT3 (Sports Concussion Assessment Tool 3), which only asks, are you depressed or anxious, and most athletes will say no. But if you give an actual anxiety or depression battery, some of them are actually depressed or anxious."
The study was supported by the University of South Carolina Athlete Performance, Health and Wellness Program. The authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
SOURCE: https://bit.ly/Mf5TpW
AAN Sports Concussion Conference 2018.
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