Abstract
The objective of the current study is to examine the effects of depression, anxiety, and comorbid depression/anxiety on neurocognitive performance in college athletes. We hypothesized a priori that the mood disorder groups would perform worse than healthy controls, with the comorbid group performing worst overall.
831 (M = 620, F = 211) collegiate athletes completed a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery at baseline which included self-report measures of anxiety and depression. Athletes were separated into 4 groups (Healthy Control (HC) (n = 578), Depression Only (n = 137), Anxiety Only (n = 54), Comorbid Depression/Anxiety (n = 62)) based on their anxiety and depression scores. Athletes’ neurocognitive functioning was analyzed via z-score composites of Attention/Processing Speed, Memory, and Global Functioning.
A one-way ANOVA comparing the means of the four groups revealed that, compared to athletes in the HC group (e.g. those with no affective symptoms), those in the depression only and anxiety only groups were not significantly different from one another or the HC group on neurocognitive outcomes. However, the comorbid group performed significantly worse than the HC group on Attention/Processing Speed, t(827) = −2.28, p = 0.023, d = 0.30, and Global Functioning, t(827) = −2.32, p = 0.020, d = 0.30, but not on the Memory composite.
Athletes in the comorbid group performed significantly worse than HCs on composites of Attention/Processing Speed and Global Functioning. These results show that collegiate athletes tested at baseline who have comorbid depression and anxiety should be identified, as their poorer cognitive performance at baseline could skew future/post-concussion comparisons.
