To examine differences in performance between girls and boys in a youth ice hockey cohort on the MULES (Mobile Universal Lexicon Evaluation) and SUN (Staggered Uneven Number) timed tests of rapid automatized naming, accounting for previously observed patterns of time scores across age groups ranging from 5 to 17 years. 

Vision comprises 50% of the brain pathways; these are frequently involved in sport-related concussion.  The MULES and SUN are accessibly and feasibly administered in youth ice-hockey and other sport cohorts across age groups (aged 5-17 years).  MULES and SUN time scores are faster among older youth athletes, supporting the need for pre-season baseline testing across age ranges.  However potential gender associations, within the context of age-related patterns of scores, have not been examined.  

Two pre-season trials of the  MULES and SUN were administered  to athletes in a youth ice hockey league. 

Among 175 athletes, 111 boys (mean age 11.4 years) and 64 girls (mean age 12.4 years), significant associations of slower pre-season test times with younger age were noted for MULES (r_s -0.68,  p<0.0001) and SUN (r_s -0.71, p<0.0001).  Time scores for the MULES were faster (better) for girls at baseline (p=0.006, Wilcoxon rank-sum test) while SUN times did not differ significantly between boys and girls (p=0.81). Accounting for age, MULES time scores for girls (46.5 seconds) were faster than those for boys (mean 56.5 seconds), p=0.038, linear regression).  Such was not the case for SUN (71.4 seconds for girls vs. 85.0 for boys, p=0.60).

Our data demonstrate the importance of pre-season baseline testing for performance measures, such as MULES and SUN.  Gender differences and changes across age may indicate that our expectations for pre-season, post-injury and recovery time scores may differ between picture- and number-naming test platforms and across age and gender differences.