B-125: Examining Mood as a Moderator of Verbal Learning and Memory in Athletes With and Without Repetitive Head Impacts

Abstract

Objective: To examine mood and verbal learning and memory, and whether mood moderates verbal learning and memory in athletes with and without repetitive head impacts (RHI). Method/Data Selection: Seventy athletes between ages 18-50 years (44 RHI/26 comparisons; age 29.34 [SD 7.31] years; 80% male; 37% White) were recruited for the Atlanta Fighter Study. The RHI group comprised active combat-sport athletes. Comparisons included age- and sex-matched non-contact sport athletes without lifetime RHI histories. Athletes completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised to measure anxiety, depression, and verbal learning (immediate recall) and memory (retention), respectively. General linear modeling and Pearson correlation addressed study aims. Results/Data Synthesis: Groups did not differ demographically, except education was lower in athletes with RHI than comparisons. RHI was associated with moderately higher anxiety, Cohen’s d [95% confidence interval]=0.48 [-0.06, 1.01], but not depression, learning, or memory versus comparisons, across education. In athletes with RHI, years of training and age of first RHI exposure correlated moderately with memory (r=-.30 and .45, ps<.05). Mood moderated group effects in memory: groups differed only at severe symptoms (score=20), with higher retention in RHI athletes (anxiety: d=-0.30 [-0.64, 0.03]; depression: d=-0.22 [-0.44, 0.01]), but not at low symptom levels (score=0). Conclusions: RHI exposure was associated with higher anxiety and dose-dependent reductions in memory in active athletes. Severe mood symptoms impaired memory in comparisons but not in athletes with RHI. Thus, mood symptoms did not exacerbate RHI-related memory reductions in active athletes but could increase the risk of memory decline with advanced age.