ATHLETE NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL SCREENING
Dr. Baker is conducting neuropsychological baseline screenings of high school football players
and other athletes. A recent meta-analysis of research described in “Sports Medicine” (2008; see
download of this article on this page) found that 1.6 to 3.8 million sport-related concussions
occur each year in the US, with 250,000 concussions occurring in high school football.
Concussions are also common in soccer. Once an athlete sustains a concussion, she/he is more
likely to sustain a second concussion. All NFL football players and NHL hockey players are
required to receive neuropsychological screenings, but screenings are also highly recommended
for high school and college athletes because of the prevalence of concussions in these age groups.
Neuropsychological baseline screenings assess the cognitive domains most susceptible to
concussion. Screenings assess the following domains (which are highly sensitive to the effects of
concussion):
*Verbal learning/memory
*Visual-spatial learning/memory
*Visual-motor processing speed
*Visual-motor scanning and shifting attention
*Auditory attention span/working memory
*Rapid verbal retrieval
*Post-Concussion Symptoms Scale (self-reports of physical, cognitive,
and emotional symptoms often associated with concussion)
Parents also complete a questionnaire ahead of time, and Dr. Baker provides parents with a
report containing baseline test scores. Unless baseline testing is conducted prior to a concussion,
it is difficult to determine whether cognitive difficulties are due to an injury or longstanding
weaknesses. If an athlete sustains a concussion within practice or a game, he/she should receive a
re-evaluation with 2-3 days to assess potential changes in cognitive functioning since baseline
testing. If there has been a statistically significant decline in scores, she/he is advised not to return
to playing until cognitive status has returned to baseline. This information is useful to physicians,
athletic trainers, and other medical personnel in determining safe return to play. One of the
reasons it is so important to monitor cognitive status following concussion is to prevent a rare
condition referred to as “Second Impact Syndrome” (SIS), which involves rapid swelling of the
brain when an individual sustains a second concussion prior to resolution of symptoms from an
earlier concussion. SIS is often a fatal condition, and almost all individuals who survive SIS are
severely disabled. Most cases of SIS occur in young people, and are most common in
adolescents ages 12-18 years old. Also, baselines results are useful if the athlete sustains another
neurological injury/illness in the future to determine the level of change that has occurred.
In the upcoming Spring and Summer semesters, Dr. Baker will be conducting testing with high
school athletes throughout the Phoenix area. If schools are interested in having multiple students
tested, Dr. Baker and his staff can travel to the school. Screenings typically last for 35-45 minutes.
For additional information about the cost of an athlete screening, see the "Payment/Scheduling"
section of this website.
Dr. Baker was a previous high school and college football player, and has evaluated many
athletes over time. If parents are interested in scheduling a screening or asking any questions, they
are welcome to contact me at 602-274-1462 or by e-mail at
jasonbaker@bakerneuropsychology.com.
Dr. Baker is conducting neuropsychological baseline screenings of high school football players
and other athletes. A recent meta-analysis of research described in “Sports Medicine” (2008; see
download of this article on this page) found that 1.6 to 3.8 million sport-related concussions
occur each year in the US, with 250,000 concussions occurring in high school football.
Concussions are also common in soccer. Once an athlete sustains a concussion, she/he is more
likely to sustain a second concussion. All NFL football players and NHL hockey players are
required to receive neuropsychological screenings, but screenings are also highly recommended
for high school and college athletes because of the prevalence of concussions in these age groups.
Neuropsychological baseline screenings assess the cognitive domains most susceptible to
concussion. Screenings assess the following domains (which are highly sensitive to the effects of
concussion):
*Verbal learning/memory
*Visual-spatial learning/memory
*Visual-motor processing speed
*Visual-motor scanning and shifting attention
*Auditory attention span/working memory
*Rapid verbal retrieval
*Post-Concussion Symptoms Scale (self-reports of physical, cognitive,
and emotional symptoms often associated with concussion)
Parents also complete a questionnaire ahead of time, and Dr. Baker provides parents with a
report containing baseline test scores. Unless baseline testing is conducted prior to a concussion,
it is difficult to determine whether cognitive difficulties are due to an injury or longstanding
weaknesses. If an athlete sustains a concussion within practice or a game, he/she should receive a
re-evaluation with 2-3 days to assess potential changes in cognitive functioning since baseline
testing. If there has been a statistically significant decline in scores, she/he is advised not to return
to playing until cognitive status has returned to baseline. This information is useful to physicians,
athletic trainers, and other medical personnel in determining safe return to play. One of the
reasons it is so important to monitor cognitive status following concussion is to prevent a rare
condition referred to as “Second Impact Syndrome” (SIS), which involves rapid swelling of the
brain when an individual sustains a second concussion prior to resolution of symptoms from an
earlier concussion. SIS is often a fatal condition, and almost all individuals who survive SIS are
severely disabled. Most cases of SIS occur in young people, and are most common in
adolescents ages 12-18 years old. Also, baselines results are useful if the athlete sustains another
neurological injury/illness in the future to determine the level of change that has occurred.
In the upcoming Spring and Summer semesters, Dr. Baker will be conducting testing with high
school athletes throughout the Phoenix area. If schools are interested in having multiple students
tested, Dr. Baker and his staff can travel to the school. Screenings typically last for 35-45 minutes.
For additional information about the cost of an athlete screening, see the "Payment/Scheduling"
section of this website.
Dr. Baker was a previous high school and college football player, and has evaluated many
athletes over time. If parents are interested in scheduling a screening or asking any questions, they
are welcome to contact me at 602-274-1462 or by e-mail at
jasonbaker@bakerneuropsychology.com.
Sports Concussion Articles
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