Progesterone Levels in Adolescent Female Athletes May Contribute to Decreased Cognitive Performance During Acute Phase of Sports-Related Concussion

Although many outcome studies pertaining to sports-related concussion exist, female athletes with concussion remain an understudied group. We examined whether neurocognitive performance in adolescent females with sports-related concussion (SRC) is related to menstrual cycle-related hormone levels measured at one-week post-concussion, one-month post-concussion, or both. Thirty-eight female athletes, ages 14-18, were matched into two groups: SRC or healthy control. Self-reported symptom scores were higher among concussed females in the luteal phase, when progesterone levels are highest. Results suggest that progesterone levels may contribute to a heightened experience of symptoms during the acute phase of SRC, providing further evidence of a possible link between progesterone and symptom scores following concussion.