The Impact of Collegiate Amateur Boxing on Cognitive Functioning and Psychological Health

Poster Session A - Saturday, March 29, 2025, 3:00 – 5:00 pm EDT, Back Bay Ballroom/Republic Ballroom

Samara Quintero¹, Ava Romerosa², Julia Torre³, Matt Birnhak⁴, Sarah Raskin⁵; ¹Trinity College

Competitive boxing presents a paradox: while repeated head impacts raise concerns about cognitive decline due to brain trauma, the sport's intense aerobic demands may lead to improved cognitive functioning, reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, and increased resilience. While research has documented cognitive impairment in professional boxing, little is known about collegiate amateur boxing. This study included 75 participants from three groups: collegiate amateur boxers (CAB, n=25), non-impact student-athletes (NISA, n=24), and low-exercise individuals (LE, n=26, exercising ≤3 hours per week). Participants completed a 90-minute Zoom session assessing memory, executive function, verbal fluency, depression, anxiety, and resilience. Data on concussion history and symptoms were also collected. Results revealed that CAB and LE participants performed significantly better than NISA participants on the backward digit span task of working memory (F = 6.135, P = .003) and verbal fluency (F = 4.892, P = .010), with no other cognitive differences. However, LE participants reported significantly higher depression (F = 3.900, P = .025) and anxiety symptoms (F = 7.536, P = .001) than both groups. Collegiate amateur boxing participants reported significantly higher resilience than LE participants, with NISA showing no difference between groups (F = 3.971, P = .023). These findings suggest collegiate amateur boxing may enhance working memory and resilience without compromising cognitive health. Additionally, elevated depression and anxiety symptoms in LE participants suggest inactivity may pose greater mental health risks than boxing, warranting further research.

Topic Area: EXECUTIVE PROCESSES: Other