Theses and Dissertations

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8602-756X

Advisor

Porter, Ben

Committee Member

Berman, Mitchell E.

Committee Member

Prince, Pauline

Committee Member

Dozier, Mary E.

Date of Degree

8-13-2024

Original embargo terms

Visible MSU Only 2 Years

Document Type

Dissertation - Campus Access Only

Major

Applied Psychology (Clinical Psychology)

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Psychology

Abstract

It has been well-established in the literature that a history of concussion makes individuals more susceptible to sustaining subsequent concussions. However, there is little neuropsychological evidence of how sustaining multiple lifetime concussions affects cognitive functioning in the general adult population. It is known from previous traumatic brain injury and single concussion literature that impairments in cognitive performance across domains often follow the initial injury, and exploratory studies have shown that multiple concussions can have a measurable impact on cognition. However, existing research is often limited by its reliance on archival data and abbreviated neuropsychological batteries. Therefore, the current study aimed to fill this gap in the literature to help inform clinical prognoses and treatment considerations. Analyses of attention and memory outcomes revealed significant associations between concussion history and performance, but they were directionally opposite from expectations. When discrepancy scores were used to account for participants’ estimated intellectual functioning, these associations were no longer significant. Executive functioning was also not significantly associated with concussion history, either with or without accounting for intelligence, contrary to expectations. On language and spatial measures, outcomes were unrelated to concussion history, as expected. Together, results from the present study emphasized the multifaceted nature of concussions and highlighted the many necessary considerations when investigating long-term outcomes, particularly when multiple concussions are involved. Future research would likely benefit from continuing to explore the neurocognitive impact of sustaining multiple concussions in the general adult population and expanding the current research with larger, more representative samples, neuroimaging, and baseline data, as available.

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