1
|
Hohmann E, Bloomfield P, Dvorak J, Echemendia R, Frank RM, Ganda J, Gordon L, Holtzhausen L, Kourie A, Mampane J, Makdissi M, Patricios J, Pieroth E, Putukian M, Janse van Rensburg DC, Viviers P, Williams V, de Wilde J. Return to Sports Following Sports-Related Concussion in Collision Sports: An Expert Consensus Statement Using the Modified Delphi Technique. Arthroscopy 2024; 40:460-469. [PMID: 37414106 DOI: 10.1016/j.arthro.2023.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To perform a Delphi consensus for return to sports (RTS) following sports-related concussion (SRC). METHODS Open-ended questions in rounds 1 and 2 were answered. The results of the first 2 rounds were used to develop a Likert-style questionnaire for round 3. If agreement at round 3 was ≤80% for an item, if panel members were outside consensus or there were >30% neither agree/disagree responses, the results were carried forward into round 4. The level of agreement and consensus was defined as 90%. RESULTS Individualized graduated RTS protocols should be used. A normal clinical, ocular and balance examination with no more headaches, and asymptomatic exertional test allows RTS. Earlier RTS can be considered if athletes are symptom free. The Sports Concussion Assessment Tool 5 and vestibular and ocular motor screening are recognized as useful tools to assist in decision-making. Ultimately RTS is a clinical decision. Baseline assessments should be performed at both collegiate and professional level and a combination of neurocognitive and clinical tests should be used. A specific number of recurrent concussions for season-or career-ending decisions could not be determined but will affect decision making for RTS. CONCLUSIONS Consensus was achieved for 10 of the 25 RTS criteria: early RTS can be considered earlier than 48 to 72 hours if athletes are completely symptom-free with no headaches, a normal clinical, ocular and balance examination. A graduated RTS should be used but should be individualized. Only 2 of the 9 assessment tools were considered to be useful: Sports Concussion Assessment Tool 5 and vestibular and ocular motor screening. RTS is mainly a clinical decision. Only 31% of the baseline assessment items achieved consensus: baseline assessments should be performed at collegiate and professional levels using a combination of neurocognitive and clinical tests. The panel disagreed on the number of recurrent concussions that should be season- or career-ending. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level V, expert Opinion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erik Hohmann
- Medical School, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine; Burjeel Hospital for Advanced Surgery, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Paul Bloomfield
- CMO Manly Sea Eagles, NRL Team; World Rugby Concussion Consultant; Former CMO National Rugby League, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jiri Dvorak
- Department of Neurology, Spine Unit, Schulthess Clinic, Zurich, Switzerland; Former CMO FIFA
| | - Ruben Echemendia
- Psychological & Neurobehavioral Associates, State College, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.; Department of Psychology, University of Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.A.; Co-Chair NHL/NHLPA Concussion Subcommittee; Chair Major League Soccer Concussion Committee
| | - Rachel M Frank
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Colorado Medical School, Aurora, U.S.A.; Head Team Orthopaedic Surgeon Colorado Rapids, Team Physician University of Colorado Buffaloes, U.S. Soccer Network Physician
| | - Janesh Ganda
- Sports Rehab Centre, Cape Town, South Africa; Team Physician SA 7's Rugby Team; Medical Officer South African Sports Association and Olympic Committee
| | - Leigh Gordon
- Cape Sports Med Clinic, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Sports & Exercise Medicine, Cape Town South Africa; World Rugby Concussion Consultant, Team Physician Rugby 7s, MO International Hockey Federation; Former Team Physician 7's Rugby
| | - Louis Holtzhausen
- Chief of Sports Medicine, Director Aspetar Sports Related Concussion Program; Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Aspetar, Doha, Qatar; Section Sports Medicine, University of Pretoria, Faculty of Health Sciences, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Exercise and Sports Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Former Team Physician South African Olympic Team and Professional Rugby, Cricket and Hockey Teams
| | - Alan Kourie
- Head of Department of Sports Medicine, Mediclinic Parkview; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; CMO Dubai Hurricanes, Former Team Doctor Natal Sharks Rugby
| | - Jerome Mampane
- CMO South African Rugby Team (Springboks), CMO Kaizer Chiefs Football Club, former CMO South African Soccer Team (Bafana Bafana)
| | - Michael Makdissi
- Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre, Melbourne, Australia; CMO Australian Football League, Melbourne, Australia; La Trobe Sports and Exercise Medicine Research Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia; World Rugby Concussion Consultant
| | - Jon Patricios
- Wits Sport and Health (WiSH); School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Co-Chair of the 6th International Conference on Concussion in Sports; South African and World Rugby Concussion Consultant; UEFA Head Injury Consultant; FIFA Concussion Consultant
| | - Elizabeth Pieroth
- Department of Orthopaedics, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush Medical College, Chicago, USA; Co-Director NFL Neuropsychology Consultant Program; Director NSW Concussion Program; Concussion Specialist for Chicago Bears, Blackhawks White Socks, Fire, Red Stars, Steel, Rockford IceHogs, Indy Fuel
| | | | - Dina C Janse van Rensburg
- Section Sports Medicine, University of Pretoria, Faculty of Health Sciences, Pretoria South Africa; Medical Advisory Panel, World Netball, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Pierre Viviers
- Senior Director Campus Health Service; Department of Exercise, Sport and Lifestyle Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - Vernon Williams
- Center for Sports Neurology & Pain Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute, Los Angeles, U.S.A.; Team Neurologist Los Angeles Rams, LA Dodgers, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, LA Kings, LA Sparks; Vice-Chair California State Athletic Commission, Chair American Academy of Sports Neurology Section
| | - Jean de Wilde
- Musculoskeletal Service Emirates Airline, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Medical Officer South African Sports Association and Olympic Committee; Former Match Day and Stadium Physician Lions Rugby Team
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pearce AJ, Kidgell DJ, Frazer AK, Rist B, Tallent J. Evidence of altered corticomotor inhibition in older adults with a history of repetitive neurotrauma. A transcranial magnetic stimulation study. J Neurol Sci 2023; 453:120777. [PMID: 37677860 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2023.120777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
International concern continues regarding the association between the long-term neurophysiologic changes from repetitive neurotrauma associated with contact and collision sports. This study describes corticomotor changes in retired contact/collision sport athletes and controls, between the ages of 30 and 70 years. Retired athletes (n = 152; 49.1 ± 8.5 years) and controls (n = 72; 47.8 ± 9.5 years) were assessed using single and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for active motor threshold (aMT), motor evoked potential and cortical silent period duration (expressed as MEP:cSP ratio), and short- and long-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI and LICI). Motor threshold, MEP:cSP, SICI and LICI for both groups were correlated across age. Controls showed significant moderate correlations for MEP:cSP ratios at 130% (rho = 0.48, p < 0.001), 150% (rho = 0.49, p < 0.001) and 170% aMT (rho = 0.42; p < 0.001) and significant small negative correlation for SICI (rho = -0.27; p = 0.030), and moderate negative correlation for LICI (rho = -0.43; p < 0.001). Group-wise correlation analysis comparisons showed significant correlation differences between groups for 130% (p = 0.016) and 150% aMT (p = 0.009), specifically showing retired athletes were displaying increased corticomotor inhibition. While previous studies have focussed studies on older athletes (>50 years), this study is the first to characterize corticomotor differences between retired athletes and controls across the lifespan. These results, demonstrating pathophysiological differences in retired athletes across the lifespan, provide a foundation to utilise evoked potentials as a prodromal marker in supplementing neurological assessment for traumatic encephalopathy syndrome associated with contact/collision sport athletes that is currently lacking physiological biomarkers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alan J Pearce
- College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia.
| | - Dawson J Kidgell
- Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Ashlyn K Frazer
- Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Billymo Rist
- College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia; Australian Football League Players Association, Melbourne 32067, Australia
| | - Jamie Tallent
- School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex, Essex CO4 3SQ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Owens TS, Marley CJ, Calverley TA, Stacey BS, Fall L, Tsukamoto H, Iannetelli A, Filipponi T, Davies B, Jones GL, Hirtz C, Lehmann S, Tuaillon E, Marchi N, Bailey DM. Lower systemic nitric oxide bioactivity, cerebral hypoperfusion and accelerated cognitive decline in formerly concussed retired rugby union players. Exp Physiol 2023; 108:1029-1046. [PMID: 37423736 PMCID: PMC10988504 DOI: 10.1113/ep091195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? What are the molecular, cerebrovascular and cognitive biomarkers of retired rugby union players with concussion history? What is the main finding and its importance? Retired rugby players compared with matched controls exhibited lower systemic nitric oxide bioavailability accompanied by lower middle cerebral artery velocity and mild cognitive impairment. Retired rugby players are more susceptible to accelerated cognitive decline. ABSTRACT Following retirement from sport, the chronic consequences of prior-recurrent contact are evident and retired rugby union players may be especially prone to accelerated cognitive decline. The present study sought to integrate molecular, cerebrovascular and cognitive biomarkers in retired rugby players with concussion history. Twenty retired rugby players aged 64 ± 5 years with three (interquartile range (IQR), 3) concussions incurred over 22 (IQR, 6) years were compared to 21 sex-, age-, cardiorespiratory fitness- and education-matched controls with no prior concussion history. Concussion symptoms and severity were assessed using the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool. Plasma/serum nitric oxide (NO) metabolites (reductive ozone-based chemiluminescence), neuron specific enolase, glial fibrillary acidic protein and neurofilament light-chain (ELISA and single molecule array) were assessed. Middle cerebral artery blood velocity (MCAv, doppler ultrasound) and reactivity to hyper/hypocapnia (CVR CO 2 hyper ${\mathrm{CVR}}_{{\mathrm{CO}}_{\mathrm{2}}{\mathrm{hyper}}}$ /CVR CO 2 hypo ${\mathrm{CVR}}_{{\mathrm{CO}}_{\mathrm{2}}{\mathrm{hypo}}}$ ) were assessed. Cognition was determined using the Grooved Pegboard Test and Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Players exhibited persistent neurological symptoms of concussion (U = 109(41) , P = 0.007), with increased severity compared to controls (U = 77(41) , P < 0.001). Lower total NO bioactivity (U = 135(41) , P = 0.049) and lower basal MCAv were apparent in players (F2,39 = 9.344, P = 0.004). This was accompanied by mild cognitive impairment (P = 0.020, 95% CI, -3.95 to -0.34), including impaired fine-motor coordination (U = 141(41) , P = 0.021). Retired rugby union players with history of multiple concussions may be characterised by impaired molecular, cerebral haemodynamic and cognitive function compared to non-concussed, non-contact controls.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas S. Owens
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and EducationUniversity of South WalesUK
| | - Christopher J. Marley
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and EducationUniversity of South WalesUK
| | - Thomas A. Calverley
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and EducationUniversity of South WalesUK
| | - Benjamin S. Stacey
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and EducationUniversity of South WalesUK
| | - Lewis Fall
- Faculty of Computing, Engineering and ScienceUniversity of South WalesUK
| | | | - Angelo Iannetelli
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and EducationUniversity of South WalesUK
| | - Teresa Filipponi
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and EducationUniversity of South WalesUK
| | - Bruce Davies
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and EducationUniversity of South WalesUK
| | - Gareth L. Jones
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and EducationUniversity of South WalesUK
| | - Christophe Hirtz
- LBPC‐PPCUniversity of Montpellier, Institute of Regenerative Medicine‐Biotherapy IRMB, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier, INSERMMontpellierFrance
| | - Sylvain Lehmann
- LBPC‐PPCUniversity of Montpellier, Institute of Regenerative Medicine‐Biotherapy IRMB, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier, INSERMMontpellierFrance
| | - Edouard Tuaillon
- CHU Montpellier, Department of Bacteriology‐VirologyCentre University ofMontpellierFrance
| | - Nicola Marchi
- Cerebrovascular and Glia Research, Department of NeuroscienceInstitute of Functional Genomics (University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM)MontpellierFrance
| | - Damian M. Bailey
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and EducationUniversity of South WalesUK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Brown JC, Goldszer IM, Brooks MC, Milano NJ. An Evaluation of the Emerging Techniques in Sports-Related Concussion. J Clin Neurophysiol 2023; 40:384-390. [PMID: 36930205 PMCID: PMC10329722 DOI: 10.1097/wnp.0000000000000879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY Sports-related concussion is now in public awareness more than ever before. Investigations into underlying pathophysiology and methods of assessment have correspondingly increased at an exponential rate. In this review, we aim to highlight some of the evidence supporting emerging techniques in the fields of neurophysiology, neuroimaging, vestibular, oculomotor, autonomics, head sensor, and accelerometer technology in the setting of the current standard: clinical diagnosis and management. In summary, the evidence we reviewed suggests that (1) head impact sensors and accelerometers may detect possible concussions that would not otherwise receive evaluation; (2) clinical diagnosis may be aided by sideline vestibular, oculomotor, and portable EEG techniques; (3) clinical decisions on return-to-play eligibility are currently not sensitive at capturing the neurometabolic, cerebrovascular, neurophysiologic, and microstructural changes that biomarkers have consistently detected days and weeks after clinical clearance. Such biomarkers include heart rate variability, quantitative electroencephalography, as well as functional, metabolic, and microstructural neuroimaging. The current challenge is overcoming the lack of consistency and replicability of any one particular technique to reach consensus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua C. Brown
- Dept. of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Neurology, Alpert Medical School of Brown University
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Corrigan F, Wee IC, Collins-Praino LE. Chronic motor performance following different traumatic brain injury severity-A systematic review. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1180353. [PMID: 37288069 PMCID: PMC10243142 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1180353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is now known to be a chronic disease, causing ongoing neurodegeneration and linked to increased risk of neurodegenerative motor diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. While the presentation of motor deficits acutely following traumatic brain injury is well-documented, however, less is known about how these evolve in the long-term post-injury, or how the initial severity of injury affects these outcomes. The purpose of this review, therefore, was to examine objective assessment of chronic motor impairment across the spectrum of TBI in both preclinical and clinical models. Methods PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and PsycINFO databases were searched with a search strategy containing key search terms for TBI and motor function. Original research articles reporting chronic motor outcomes with a clearly defined TBI severity (mild, repeated mild, moderate, moderate-severe, and severe) in an adult population were included. Results A total of 97 studies met the inclusion criteria, incorporating 62 preclinical and 35 clinical studies. Motor domains examined included neuroscore, gait, fine-motor, balance, and locomotion for preclinical studies and neuroscore, fine-motor, posture, and gait for clinical studies. There was little consensus among the articles presented, with extensive differences both in assessment methodology of the tests and parameters reported. In general, an effect of severity was seen, with more severe injury leading to persistent motor deficits, although subtle fine motor deficits were also seen clinically following repeated injury. Only six clinical studies investigated motor outcomes beyond 10 years post-injury and two preclinical studies to 18-24 months post-injury, and, as such, the interaction between a previous TBI and aging on motor performance is yet to be comprehensively examined. Conclusion Further research is required to establish standardized motor assessment procedures to fully characterize chronic motor impairment across the spectrum of TBI with comprehensive outcomes and consistent protocols. Longitudinal studies investigating the same cohort over time are also a key for understanding the interaction between TBI and aging. This is particularly critical, given the risk of neurodegenerative motor disease development following TBI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frances Corrigan
- Head Injury Lab, School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Ing Chee Wee
- Cognition, Ageing and Neurodegenerative Disease Laboratory, School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Lyndsey E. Collins-Praino
- Cognition, Ageing and Neurodegenerative Disease Laboratory, School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Howarth N, White AJ, Batten J, Pearce AJ, Miller MA. An exploratory study into the relationship between playing at home or away and concussion. Brain Inj 2023; 37:478-484. [PMID: 36843269 DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2023.2181400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Abstract
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of home and away game travel on risk of concussion across different levels of rugby union. RESEARCH DESIGN Exploration study across school, university, and professional rugby teams. METHODS AND PROCEDURES Retrospective analysis of concussion incidence and symptomology of surveillance data and prospective data collection for potential concussions via surveys. Data was collected from school rugby teams (n = 344 matches, over 2 years), a university rugby (n = 6 matches), and a professional rugby team (n = 64 matches, over two seasons). MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS School level rugby had an increased prevalence of concussions in away matches (p = 0.02). Likewise, there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in concussions at away matches in university rugby. In addition, the professional rug by team had significant differences in recovery times and symptoms with away fixtures, including longer recovery times (p < 0.01), more initial symptoms (p < 0.01), as well as greater and more severe symptoms at 48 hours (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This research highlights an increased prevalence of concussion in school and university-aged rugby players away from home, as well as increased symptoms, symptom severity, and recovery times in professional rugby players.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Howarth
- Faculty of Health and Life Science, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK.,Division of Health Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK
| | - Adam J White
- Division of Health Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK
| | - John Batten
- Faculty of Health and Life Science, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK.,School of Sport, Health and Community, University of Winchester, Winchester, UK
| | - Alan J Pearce
- College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia
| | - Michelle A Miller
- Faculty of Health and Life Science, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK.,Division of Health Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Walker D. Viewing Contact Sports as a Safeguarding Issue. Sports Health 2023; 15:459-460. [PMID: 36762816 PMCID: PMC10170221 DOI: 10.1177/19417381231153081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
|
8
|
Ryan L, Daly E, Blackett AD. Sport-related concussion disclosure in women's rugby-A social identity approach. Front Sports Act Living 2023; 5:1058305. [PMID: 37090816 PMCID: PMC10114594 DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2023.1058305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a risk of collision sports such as women's rugby. To support appropriate SRC diagnosis and management, an understanding of the factors that encourage SRC disclosure is necessary. To date, research has focused on ascertaining individual player knowledge and attitudes towards SRC disclosure. Methods We chose to investigate the potential influence of group identification effects by examining the role of social identity on SRC disclosure in elite women's rugby. Seventeen elite players from the United Kingdom and Ireland were interviewed and their transcripts thematically analysed. Results The data highlighted that the players shared a very strong social identity as women in rugby and were acutely aware that their experiences were different to their male counterparts. The shared social identity had both positive and negative implications for SRC disclosure. The players interviewed did not feel comfortable disclosing their symptoms to their coach and often felt that medical staff either did not listen to them or were unavailable to them. Mediators such as communication, trust in medical teams, perceived pressure, positive injury management experience, and player role models were identified. Discussion This research could be utilised to inform sport psychology interventions to enhance SRC disclosure in elite women's rugby.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Ryan
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition, Atlantic Technological University, Galway, Ireland
- Correspondence: Lisa Ryan
| | - Ed Daly
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition, Atlantic Technological University, Galway, Ireland
| | - Alexander D. Blackett
- Department of Sport and Exercise, School of Health Science & Wellbeing, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Pearce AJ, King D, Kidgell DJ, Frazer AK, Tommerdahl M, Suter CM. Assessment of Somatosensory and Motor Processing Time in Retired Athletes with a History of Repeated Head Trauma. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol 2022; 7:jfmk7040109. [PMID: 36547655 PMCID: PMC9782447 DOI: 10.3390/jfmk7040109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Measurement of the adverse outcomes of repeated head trauma in athletes is often achieved using tests where the comparator is ‘accuracy’. While it is expected that ex-athletes would perform worse than controls, previous studies have shown inconsistent results. Here we have attempted to address these inconsistencies from a different perspective by quantifying not only accuracy, but also motor response times. Age-matched control subjects who have never experienced head trauma (n = 20; 41.8 ± 14.4 years) where compared to two cohorts of retired contact sport athletes with a history of head trauma/concussions; one with self-reported concerns (n = 36; 45.4 ± 12.6 years), and another with no ongoing concerns (n = 19; 43.1 ± 13.5 years). Participants performed cognitive (Cogstate) and somatosensory (Cortical Metrics) testing with accuracy and motor times recorded. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) investigated corticospinal conduction and excitability. Results showed that there was little difference between groups in accuracy scores. Conversely, motor times in all but one test revealed that ex-athletes with self-reported concerns were significantly slower compared to other groups (p ranges 0.031 to <0.001). TMS latency showed significantly increased time (p = 0.008) in the group with ongoing concerns. These findings suggest that incorporating motor times is more informative than considering accuracy scores alone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alan J. Pearce
- College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3016, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - Doug King
- Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ), Faculty of Health and Environmental Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
- Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing, Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Dawson J. Kidgell
- Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Ashlyn K. Frazer
- Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Mark Tommerdahl
- Cortical Metrics, Carrboro, NC 27510, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27510, USA
| | - Catherine M. Suter
- Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney 2050, Australia
- Brain and Mind Centre, University Sydney, Camperdown 2050, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Daly E, Blackett AD, Pearce AJ, Ryan L. Protect the Player, Protect the Game: Reflections from Ex-Professional Rugby Union Players on Law Changes, Protective Equipment, and Duty of Care in the Professional Game. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol 2022; 7:jfmk7040091. [PMID: 36278752 PMCID: PMC9624300 DOI: 10.3390/jfmk7040091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The emphasis of this study was to interview ex-professional male rugby union players (n = 23, mean age 35.5 ± 4.7 years) and discuss concussion management during their careers. In this study, two major themes were identified: (1) the duty of care to professional rugby union players by medical personnel, coaching staff, and owners of professional clubs and (2) the use of protective equipment and law changes to enhance player safety. In total, twenty-three ex-professional rugby union players were interviewed, and the majority (61%) had represented their countries at international test-level rugby. These interviews highlighted the belief that medical teams should be objective, independent entities within a professional rugby club. Furthermore, medical teams should not be in a position of being pressurised by head coaches, members of the coaching team, or club owners regarding return-to-play (RTP) protocols specific to concussion. The interviewees believed that they were pressured by coaches or members of the coaching team to play with concussion or concussive symptoms and other physical injuries. The results indicated that they had manipulated concussion testing themselves or with assistance to pass standard concussion testing protocols. The interviewees indicated that club owners have a duty of care to players even in retirement due to the high incidence of physical and mental injuries endured as a professional rugby player. Most participants indicated that a reduction in match playing time and reducing the amount of time engaged in contact training (workload volume) may assist in reducing concussion incidence. The participants suggested that changes to the current laws of the game or the use of protective equipment did not mitigate against concussion risk in the game of rugby union. The main limitation to the study is that participants had retired in the past ten years, and conditions for players may have changed. This study has highlighted that additional efforts are required by professional clubs to ensure the highest duty of care is delivered to current players and recently retired players.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ed Daly
- School of Science & Computing, Atlantic Technological University, H91 T8NW Galway, Ireland
| | - Alexander D. Blackett
- School of Life Sciences and Education, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2DF, UK
| | - Alan J. Pearce
- College of Sport, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Lisa Ryan
- School of Science & Computing, Atlantic Technological University, H91 T8NW Galway, Ireland
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Cunningham J, O'Dowd A, Broglio SP, Newell FN, Kelly Á, Joyce O, Januszewski J, Wilson F. Multisensory perception is not influenced by previous concussion history in retired rugby union players. Brain Inj 2022; 36:1123-1132. [PMID: 35994241 DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2022.2109732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To assess whether concussion history adversely affects multisensory integration, we compared susceptibility to the Sound-Induced Flash Illusion (SIFI) in retired professional rugby players compared to controls. METHODS Retired professional rugby players ((N = 58) and retired international rowers (N = 26) completed a self-report concussion history questionnaire and the SIFI task. Susceptibility to the SIFI (i.e., perceiving two flashes in response to one flash paired with two beeps) was assessed at three stimulus onset asynchronies (70 ms, 150 ms or 230 ms).Logistic mixed-effects regression modeling was implemented to evaluate how athlete grouping, previous concussion history and total number of years playing sport, impacted the susceptibility to the SIFI task. The statistical significance of a fixed effect of interest was determined by a likelihood ratio test. RESULTS Former rugby players had significantly more self-reported concussions than the rower group (p < 0.001). There was no impact of athlete grouping (i.e., retired professional rugby players and retired international rowers), years participation in elite sport or concussion history on performance in the SIFI. CONCLUSION A career in professional rugby, concussion history or number of years participating in professional rugby was not found to be predictive of performance on the SIFI task.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joice Cunningham
- Discipline of Physiotherapy, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Alan O'Dowd
- School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Steven P Broglio
- Michigan Concussion Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Fiona N Newell
- School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Áine Kelly
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Oisín Joyce
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Julia Januszewski
- School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Fiona Wilson
- Discipline of Physiotherapy, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Nowinski CJ, Bureau SC, Buckland ME, Curtis MA, Daneshvar DH, Faull RLM, Grinberg LT, Hill-Yardin EL, Murray HC, Pearce AJ, Suter CM, White AJ, Finkel AM, Cantu RC. Applying the Bradford Hill Criteria for Causation to Repetitive Head Impacts and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Front Neurol 2022; 13:938163. [PMID: 35937061 PMCID: PMC9355594 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.938163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with a history of repetitive head impacts (RHI). CTE was described in boxers as early as the 1920s and by the 1950s it was widely accepted that hits to the head caused some boxers to become "punch drunk." However, the recent discovery of CTE in American and Australian-rules football, soccer, rugby, ice hockey, and other sports has resulted in renewed debate on whether the relationship between RHI and CTE is causal. Identifying the strength of the evidential relationship between CTE and RHI has implications for public health and medico-legal issues. From a public health perspective, environmentally caused diseases can be mitigated or prevented. Medico-legally, millions of children are exposed to RHI through sports participation; this demographic is too young to legally consent to any potential long-term risks associated with this exposure. To better understand the strength of evidence underlying the possible causal relationship between RHI and CTE, we examined the medical literature through the Bradford Hill criteria for causation. The Bradford Hill criteria, first proposed in 1965 by Sir Austin Bradford Hill, provide a framework to determine if one can justifiably move from an observed association to a verdict of causation. The Bradford Hill criteria include nine viewpoints by which to evaluate human epidemiologic evidence to determine if causation can be deduced: strength, consistency, specificity, temporality, biological gradient, plausibility, coherence, experiment, and analogy. We explored the question of causation by evaluating studies on CTE as it relates to RHI exposure. Through this lens, we found convincing evidence of a causal relationship between RHI and CTE, as well as an absence of evidence-based alternative explanations. By organizing the CTE literature through this framework, we hope to advance the global conversation on CTE mitigation efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Nowinski
- Concussion Legacy Foundation, Boston, MA, United States,*Correspondence: Christopher J. Nowinski
| | | | - Michael E. Buckland
- Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia,School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Maurice A. Curtis
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Daniel H. Daneshvar
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Richard L. M. Faull
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Lea T. Grinberg
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States,Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States,Department of Pathology, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil,Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Elisa L. Hill-Yardin
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, STEM College, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia,Department of Anatomy & Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Helen C. Murray
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Alan J. Pearce
- College of Science, Health, and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Catherine M. Suter
- Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia,School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Adam J. White
- Department of Sport, Health Science, and Social Work, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom,Concussion Legacy Foundation UK, Cheltenham, United Kingdom
| | - Adam M. Finkel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Robert C. Cantu
- Concussion Legacy Foundation, Boston, MA, United States,Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States,Department of Neurosurgery, Emerson Hospital, Concord, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Beppi C, Penner M, Straumann D, Bögli SY. A non-invasive biomechanical model of mild TBI in larval zebrafish. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268901. [PMID: 35622781 PMCID: PMC9140253 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A mild traumatic brain injury is a neurological dysfunction caused by biomechanical forces transmitted to the brain in physical impacts. The current understanding of the neuropathological cascade resulting in the manifested clinical signs and symptoms is limited due to the absence of sensitive brain imaging methods. Zebrafish are established models for the reproduction and study of neurobiological pathologies. However, all available models mostly recreate moderate-to-severe focal injuries in adult zebrafish. The present work has induced a mild brain trauma in larval zebrafish through a non-invasive biomechanical approach. A custom-made apparatus with a commercially available motor was employed to expose larvae to rapidly decelerating linear movements. The neurophysiological changes following concussion were assessed through behavioural quantifications of startle reflex locomotor distance and habituation metrics. Here we show that the injury was followed, within five minutes, by a transient anxiety state and CNS dysfunction manifested by increased startle responsivity with impaired startle habituation, putatively mirroring the human clinical sign of hypersensitivity to noise. Within a day after the injury, chronic effects arose, as evidenced by an overall reduced responsivity to sensory stimulation (lower amplitude and distance travelled along successive stimuli), reflecting the human post-concussive symptomatology. This study represents a step forward towards the establishment of a parsimonious (simple, less ethically concerning, yet sensitive) animal model of mild TBI. Our behavioural findings mimic aspects of acute and chronic effects of human concussion, which warrant further study at molecular, cellular and circuit levels. While our model opens wide avenues for studying the underlying cellular and molecular pathomechanisms, it also enables high-throughput testing of therapeutic interventions to accelerate post-concussive recovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Beppi
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Swiss Concussion Center, Schulthess Clinic, Zurich, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| | - Marco Penner
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Straumann
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Swiss Concussion Center, Schulthess Clinic, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Yu Bögli
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Swiss Concussion Center, Schulthess Clinic, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Antrobus MR, Brazier J, Callus PC, Herbert AJ, Stebbings GK, Khanal P, Day SH, Kilduff LP, Bennett MA, Erskine RM, Raleigh SM, Collins M, Pitsiladis YP, Heffernan SM, Williams AG. Concussion-Associated Polygenic Profiles of Elite Male Rugby Athletes. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:820. [PMID: 35627205 PMCID: PMC9141383 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the high-velocity collision-based nature of elite rugby league and union, the risk of sustaining a concussion is high. Occurrence of and outcomes following a concussion are probably affected by the interaction of multiple genes in a polygenic manner. This study investigated whether suspected concussion-associated polygenic profiles of elite rugby athletes differed from non-athletes and between rugby union forwards and backs. We hypothesised that a total genotype score (TGS) using eight concussion-associated polymorphisms would be higher in elite rugby athletes than non-athletes, indicating selection for protection against incurring or suffering prolonged effects of, concussion in the relatively high-risk environment of competitive rugby. In addition, multifactor dimensionality reduction was used to identify genetic interactions. Contrary to our hypothesis, TGS did not differ between elite rugby athletes and non-athletes (p ≥ 0.065), nor between rugby union forwards and backs (p = 0.668). Accordingly, the TGS could not discriminate between elite rugby athletes and non-athletes (AUC ~0.5), suggesting that, for the eight polymorphisms investigated, elite rugby athletes do not have a more ‘preferable’ concussion-associated polygenic profile than non-athletes. However, the COMT (rs4680) and MAPT (rs10445337) GC allele combination was more common in rugby athletes (31.7%; p < 0.001) and rugby union athletes (31.8%; p < 0.001) than non-athletes (24.5%). Our results thus suggest a genetic interaction between COMT (rs4680) and MAPT (rs10445337) assists rugby athletes in achieving elite status. These findings need exploration vis-à-vis sport-related concussion injury data and could have implications for the management of inter-individual differences in concussion risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark R. Antrobus
- Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 7EL, UK; (J.B.); (P.C.C.); (G.K.S.); (P.K.); (A.G.W.)
- Sport and Exercise Science, University of Northampton, Northampton NN1 5PH, UK
| | - Jon Brazier
- Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 7EL, UK; (J.B.); (P.C.C.); (G.K.S.); (P.K.); (A.G.W.)
- Department of Psychology and Sports Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK
| | - Peter C. Callus
- Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 7EL, UK; (J.B.); (P.C.C.); (G.K.S.); (P.K.); (A.G.W.)
| | - Adam J. Herbert
- Research Centre for Life and Sport Sciences (C-LaSS), School of Health Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B15 3TN, UK;
| | - Georgina K. Stebbings
- Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 7EL, UK; (J.B.); (P.C.C.); (G.K.S.); (P.K.); (A.G.W.)
| | - Praval Khanal
- Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 7EL, UK; (J.B.); (P.C.C.); (G.K.S.); (P.K.); (A.G.W.)
| | - Stephen H. Day
- School of Medicine and Clinical Practice, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY, UK;
| | - Liam P. Kilduff
- Applied Sports Science Technology and Medicine Research Centre (A-STEM), College of Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK; (L.P.K.); (M.A.B.); (S.M.H.)
| | - Mark A. Bennett
- Applied Sports Science Technology and Medicine Research Centre (A-STEM), College of Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK; (L.P.K.); (M.A.B.); (S.M.H.)
| | - Robert M. Erskine
- Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK;
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Stuart M. Raleigh
- Cardiovascular and Lifestyle Medicine Research Group, CSELS, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK;
| | - Malcolm Collins
- Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport Research Centre (HPALS), Department of Human Biology, and the International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS) Collaborative Centre of Sports Medicine, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7701, South Africa;
| | - Yannis P. Pitsiladis
- FIMS Reference Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine for Anti-Doping Research, University of Brighton, Brighton BN20 7SP, UK;
- Centre for Exercise Sciences and Sports Medicine, FIMS Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine, Piazza L. de Bosis 6, 00135 Rome, Italy
| | - Shane M. Heffernan
- Applied Sports Science Technology and Medicine Research Centre (A-STEM), College of Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK; (L.P.K.); (M.A.B.); (S.M.H.)
| | - Alun G. Williams
- Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 7EL, UK; (J.B.); (P.C.C.); (G.K.S.); (P.K.); (A.G.W.)
- Applied Sports Science Technology and Medicine Research Centre (A-STEM), College of Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK; (L.P.K.); (M.A.B.); (S.M.H.)
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Rier L, Zamyadi R, Zhang J, Emami Z, Seedat ZA, Mocanu S, Gascoyne LE, Allen CM, Scadding JW, Furlong PL, Gooding-Williams G, Woolrich MW, Evangelou N, Brookes MJ, Dunkley BT. Mild traumatic brain injury impairs the coordination of intrinsic and motor-related neural dynamics. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2021; 32:102841. [PMID: 34653838 PMCID: PMC8517919 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
MTBI is poorly understood and lacks objective diagnostic and prognostic tools. Abnormal neural oscillations are found in subjects with a history of mTBI. We identify transient bursts in MEG data using a Hidden Markov Model. We explain a deficit in beta connectivity and power in terms of transient bursts. Data-driven feature selection identifies symptom-relevant functional connections.
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) poses a considerable burden on healthcare systems. Whilst most patients recover quickly, a significant number suffer from sequelae that are not accompanied by measurable structural damage. Understanding the neural underpinnings of these debilitating effects and developing a means to detect injury, would address an important unmet clinical need. It could inform interventions and help predict prognosis. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) affords excellent sensitivity in probing neural function and presents significant promise for assessing mTBI, with abnormal neural oscillations being a potential specific biomarker. However, growing evidence suggests that neural dynamics are (at least in part) driven by transient, pan-spectral bursting and in this paper, we employ this model to investigate mTBI. We applied a Hidden Markov Model to MEG data recorded during resting state and a motor task and show that previous findings of diminished intrinsic beta amplitude in individuals with mTBI are largely due to the reduced beta band spectral content of bursts, and that diminished beta connectivity results from a loss in the temporal coincidence of burst states. In a motor task, mTBI results in diminished burst amplitude, altered modulation of burst probability during movement, and a loss in connectivity in motor networks. These results suggest that, mechanistically, mTBI disrupts the structural framework underlying neural synchrony, which impairs network function. Whilst the damage may be too subtle for structural imaging to see, the functional consequences are detectable and persist after injury. Our work shows that mTBI impairs the dynamic coordination of neural network activity and proposes a potent new method for understanding mTBI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Rier
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Rouzbeh Zamyadi
- Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jing Zhang
- Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Zahra Emami
- Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Zelekha A Seedat
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Sergiu Mocanu
- Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Lauren E Gascoyne
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Christopher M Allen
- Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences Academic Unit, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
| | - John W Scadding
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Paul L Furlong
- Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - Mark W Woolrich
- Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nikos Evangelou
- Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences Academic Unit, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
| | - Matthew J Brookes
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Benjamin T Dunkley
- Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada; Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zimmerman KA, Laverse E, Samra R, Yanez Lopez M, Jolly AE, Bourke NJ, Graham NSN, Patel MC, Hardy J, Kemp S, Morris HR, Sharp DJ. White matter abnormalities in active elite adult rugby players. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcab133. [PMID: 34435188 PMCID: PMC8381344 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The recognition, diagnosis and management of mild traumatic brain injuries are difficult and confusing. It is unclear how the severity and number of injuries sustained relate to brain injuries, such as diffuse axonal injury, diffuse vascular injury and progressive neurodegeneration. Advances in neuroimaging techniques enable the investigation of neuropathologies associated with acute and long-term effects of injury. Head injuries are the most commonly reported injury seen during professional rugby. There is increased vigilance for the immediate effects of these injuries in matches, but there has been surprisingly little research investigating the longer-term effects of rugby participation. Here, we present a longitudinal observational study investigating the relationship of exposure to rugby participation and sub-acute head injuries in professional adult male and female rugby union and league players using advanced MRI. Diffusion tensor imaging and susceptibility weighted imaging was used to assess white matter structure and evidence of axonal and diffuse vascular injury. We also studied changes in brain structure over time using Jacobian Determinant statistics extracted from serial volumetric imaging. We tested 41 male and 3 female adult elite rugby players, of whom 21 attended study visits after a head injury, alongside 32 non-sporting controls, 15 non-collision-sport athletic controls and 16 longitudinally assessed controls. Eighteen rugby players participated in the longitudinal arm of the study, with a second visit at least 6 months after their first scan. Neuroimaging evidence of either axonal injury or diffuse vascular injury was present in 23% (10/44) of players. In the non-acutely injured group of rugby players, abnormalities of fractional anisotropy and other diffusion measures were seen. In contrast, non-collision-sport athletic controls were not classified as showing abnormalities. A group level contrast also showed evidence of sub-acute injury using diffusion tensor imaging in rugby players. Examination of longitudinal imaging revealed unexpected reductions in white matter volume in the elite rugby players studied. These changes were not related to self-reported head injury history or neuropsychological test scores and might indicate excess neurodegeneration in white matter tracts affected by injury. Taken together, our findings suggest an association of participation in elite adult rugby with changes in brain structure. Further well-designed large-scale studies are needed to understand the impact of both repeated sports-related head impacts and head injuries on brain structure, and to clarify whether the abnormalities we have observed are related to an increased risk of neurodegenerative disease and impaired neurocognitive function following elite rugby participation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karl A Zimmerman
- Computational, Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Division of Brain Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK.,Care Research & Technology Centre, UK Dementia Research Institute, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Etienne Laverse
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neuroscience, University College London, London NW3 2PF, UK
| | - Ravjeet Samra
- Computational, Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Division of Brain Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Maria Yanez Lopez
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Amy E Jolly
- Computational, Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Division of Brain Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK.,Care Research & Technology Centre, UK Dementia Research Institute, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Niall J Bourke
- Computational, Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Division of Brain Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK.,Care Research & Technology Centre, UK Dementia Research Institute, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Neil S N Graham
- Computational, Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Division of Brain Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK.,Care Research & Technology Centre, UK Dementia Research Institute, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Maneesh C Patel
- Imaging Department, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital, London W6 8RF, UK
| | - John Hardy
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Reta Lila Weston Laboratories, Queen Square Genomics, UCL Dementia Research Institute, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Simon Kemp
- Rugby Football Union, Twickenham, London TW2 7BA, UK.,Faculty of Epidemiology and Public Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Huw R Morris
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neuroscience, University College London, London NW3 2PF, UK
| | - David J Sharp
- Computational, Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Division of Brain Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK.,Care Research & Technology Centre, UK Dementia Research Institute, London W12 0BZ, UK.,The Royal British Legion Centre for Blast Injury Studies, Imperial College London SW7 2AZ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Symons GF, Clough M, Fielding J, O'Brien WT, Shepherd CE, Wright DK, Shultz SR. The Neurological Consequences of Engaging in Australian Collision Sports. J Neurotrauma 2021; 37:792-809. [PMID: 32056505 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2019.6884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Collision sports are an integral part of Australian culture. The most common collision sports in Australia are Australian rules football, rugby union, and rugby league. Each of these sports often results in participants sustaining mild brain traumas, such as concussive and subconcussive injuries. However, the majority of previous studies and reviews pertaining to the neurological implications of sustaining mild brain traumas, while engaging in collision sports, have focused on those popular in North America and Europe. As part of this 2020 International Neurotrauma Symposium special issue, which highlights Australian neurotrauma research, this article will therefore review the burden of mild brain traumas in Australian collision sports athletes. Specifically, this review will first provide an overview of the consequences of mild brain trauma in Australian collision sports, followed by a summary of the previous studies that have investigated neurocognition, ocular motor function, neuroimaging, and fluid biomarkers, as well as neuropathological outcomes in Australian collision sports athletes. A review of the literature indicates that although Australians have contributed to the field, several knowledge gaps and limitations currently exist. These include important questions related to sex differences, the identification and implementation of blood and imaging biomarkers, the need for consistent study designs and common data elements, as well as more multi-modal studies. We conclude that although Australia has had an active history of investigating the neurological impact of collision sports participation, further research is clearly needed to better understand these consequences in Australian athletes and how they can be mitigated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgia F Symons
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Meaghan Clough
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joanne Fielding
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - William T O'Brien
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Claire E Shepherd
- Neuroscience Research Australia, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David K Wright
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sandy R Shultz
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Hellewell SC, Welton T, Pearce AJ, Maller JJ, Grieve SM. Diffusion MRI as a complementary assessment to cognition, emotion, and motor dysfunction after sports-related concussion: a systematic review and critical appraisal of the literature. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 15:1685-1704. [PMID: 32720180 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-020-00336-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Sports-related concussion (SRC) is a complex and heterogeneous injury with psychological, cognitive and functional consequences. Advances in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) allow sensitive measurement of white matter pathology post-SRC and may provide insight into injury and recovery. We systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed the literature examining dMRI alongside cognitive, emotional or motor assessments to determine relationships between these analyses. Sixteen studies examining young athletes (n = 6) or retired professionals (n = 10) met the inclusion criteria, with 12 emotional, 10 cognitive and four motor assessments. Studies had heterogeneous methodology, moderate quality and modest sample sizes. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was the most frequent dMRI metric, with SRC-induced changes described most commonly in the frontal lobe and least in the cerebellum and brainstem. There is an emerging complementary role for dMRI as part of a comprehensive assessment battery for SRC. However, larger-scale studies with broader subject populations (specifically, in females and in the 30-45 year age range) are needed to corroborate findings and determine the true diagnostic utility of dMRI post-SRC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Hellewell
- Imaging and Phenotyping Laboratory, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Thomas Welton
- Imaging and Phenotyping Laboratory, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Alan J Pearce
- School of Allied Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Jerome J Maller
- Imaging and Phenotyping Laboratory, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia.,General Electric Healthcare, Richmond, VIC, 3181, Australia
| | - Stuart M Grieve
- Imaging and Phenotyping Laboratory, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia. .,Department of Radiology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Boulter JH, Shields MM, Meister MR, Murtha G, Curry BP, Dengler BA. The Expanding Role of Quantitative Pupillometry in the Evaluation and Management of Traumatic Brain Injury. Front Neurol 2021; 12:685313. [PMID: 34322081 PMCID: PMC8310950 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.685313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury is a rapidly increasing source of morbidity and mortality across the world. As such, the evaluation and management of traumatic brain injuries ranging from mild to severe are under active investigation. Over the last two decades, quantitative pupillometry has been increasingly found to be useful in both the immediate evaluation and ongoing management of traumatic brain injured patients. Given these findings and the portability and ease of use of modern pupillometers, further adoption and deployment of quantitative pupillometers into the preclinical and hospital settings of both resource rich and medically austere environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason H Boulter
- Division of Neurosurgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Margaret M Shields
- School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Melissa R Meister
- Division of Neurosurgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Gregory Murtha
- School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Brian P Curry
- Division of Neurosurgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Bradley A Dengler
- Division of Neurosurgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Bernick C, Shan G, Bennett L, Alberts J, Cummings J. Assessing Clinical Change in Individuals Exposed to Repetitive Head Impacts: The Repetitive Head Impact Composite Index. Front Neurol 2021; 12:605318. [PMID: 34295295 PMCID: PMC8290321 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.605318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: There is a current lack of any composite measure for the effective tracking and monitoring of clinical change in individuals exposed to repetitive head impacts (RHI). The aim of this study is to create a composite instrument for the purposes of detecting change over time in cognitive and behavioral function in individuals exposed to RHI. Methods: The data to derive the composite instrument came from the Professional Fighters Brain Health Study (PFBHS), a longitudinal study of active and retired professional fighters [boxers and mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters] and healthy controls. Participants in the PFBHS underwent assessment on an annual basis that included computerized cognitive testing and behavioral questionnaires. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to compare active fighters (n = 117) with controls (n = 22), and retired fighters (n = 26) with controls to identify the predictors that could be used to differentiate the groups over time. In a second step, linear discriminant analysis was performed to derive the linear discriminant coefficients for the three groups by using the predictors from the two separate logistic regression models. Results: The composite scale is a weighted linear value of 12 standardized scores consisting of both current and yearly change scores in domains including: processing speed, choice reaction time, semantic fluency, letter fluency, and Barrett Impulsiveness Scale. Because the weighting of values differed between active and retired fighters, two versions emerged. The mean and standard deviation ratio (MSDR) showed that the new index had better sensitivity compared to the individual measures, with the ratio of MSDR of the new index to that of the existing measures of at least 1.84. Conclusion: With the increasing need for tools to follow individuals exposed to RHI and the potential of clinical trials on the horizon for CTE, the RHICI is poised to serve as an initial approach to a composite clinical measure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charles Bernick
- Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Las Vegas, NV, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Guogen Shan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Lauren Bennett
- Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Jay Alberts
- Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Jeffrey Cummings
- Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Las Vegas, NV, United States
- Center for Transformative Neuroscience, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Hind K, Konerth N, Entwistle I, Theadom A, Lewis G, King D, Chazot P, Hume P. Cumulative Sport-Related Injuries and Longer Term Impact in Retired Male Elite- and Amateur-Level Rugby Code Athletes and Non-contact Athletes: A Retrospective Study. Sports Med 2021; 50:2051-2061. [PMID: 32671695 PMCID: PMC7575474 DOI: 10.1007/s40279-020-01310-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Background Rugby union and rugby league are popular team contact sports, but they bring a high risk of injury. Although previous studies have reported injury occurrence across one or several seasons, none have explored the total number of injuries sustained across an entire career. As the first to do so, the aim of this study was to report on cumulative injuries and their perceived long-term impact in retired rugby code athletes compared to athletes from non-contact sports. Methods One hundred and eighty-nine former rugby code athletes (rugby union n = 145; rugby league n = 44) and 65 former non-contact athletes were recruited to the UK Rugby Health Project between September 2016 and December 2018. Details on sports participation, sports injuries and concussion history, sports injury-related surgeries, and previous and current health were obtained from a validated, online self-report questionnaire. Results Former elite rugby code athletes (n = 83) reported more total injuries per player (median 39, IQR 35) than former amateur rugby code athletes (n = 106; median 23, IQR 30; p = 0.014) and non-contact sports athletes (n = 65; median 7.5, IQR 15; p < 0.001). Concussion was the most frequently reported injury for the elite and amateur rugby code groups, followed by upper/lower back and knee ligament injuries. These injuries also presented with the highest recurrence. Rugby code groups reported a higher continued impact of previous concussion, neck injuries, shoulder dislocation, ACL tears, and knee ligament injuries (p = 0.003–0.045). The reported prevalence of osteoarthritis was more than twofold greater in the elite rugby code group than in non-contact athletes (51% v 22%, p < 0.001). The prevalence of back pain and/or severe and regular joint pain was high across all groups (47–80%), particularly the elite rugby code group. The total number of joint injuries and sport injury-related surgeries was higher in those who reported current osteoarthritis and current severe and regular joint pain (p < 0.001–p = 0.028). Conclusion Across multiple injury types, past participation in rugby union and rugby league, particularly at elite level, is associated with a high cumulative injury load and a continued impact of previous injuries post-retirement. Given the high number of reported concussions (and their recurrence) and associations between previous injuries during a player’s career and current musculoskeletal conditions, efforts should be prioritized to reduce the occurrence and recurrence of injuries in rugby codes at all levels of the sport. Strategies should also be developed for supporting the specific physical health needs of rugby code athletes post-retirement. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s40279-020-01310-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen Hind
- Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Durham University, 42 Old Elvet, Durham, DH1 3HN, UK. .,Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing, Durham University, Queen's Campus, Stockton, TS17 6BH, UK.
| | - Natalie Konerth
- Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Durham University, 42 Old Elvet, Durham, DH1 3HN, UK
| | - Ian Entwistle
- Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Durham University, 42 Old Elvet, Durham, DH1 3HN, UK.,Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing, Durham University, Queen's Campus, Stockton, TS17 6BH, UK
| | - Alice Theadom
- National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neuroscience, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Gwyn Lewis
- Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Faculty of Health and Environmental Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Doug King
- Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ), Faculty of Health and Environmental Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Paul Chazot
- Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing, Durham University, Queen's Campus, Stockton, TS17 6BH, UK.,Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Patria Hume
- National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neuroscience, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.,Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ), Faculty of Health and Environmental Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Pearce AJ, Kidgell DJ, Tommerdahl MA, Frazer AK, Rist B, Mobbs R, Batchelor J, Buckland ME. Chronic Neurophysiological Effects of Repeated Head Trauma in Retired Australian Male Sport Athletes. Front Neurol 2021; 12:633320. [PMID: 33767661 PMCID: PMC7985524 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.633320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: This study investigated the somatosensory and corticomotor physiology of retired contact sport athletes with a history of repeated concussion/subconcussion head trauma. Methods: Retired male athletes with a history of playing contact sports and repeated head trauma (n = 122) were divided into two groups: those who expressed concerns regarding their mental and cognitive health ("symptomatic": n = 83), and those who did not express any ongoing concerns ("asymptomatic": n = 39). Both groups were compared to age-matched male controls (n = 50) with no history of concussions or participation in contact sports, an absence of self-reported cognitive, or mood impairments. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and vibrotactile stimulation were used to assess corticomotor and somatosensory pathways respectively. TMS and vibrotactile stimulation were correlated to self-reported responses using the Fatigue and Related Symptom Survey. Linear regression was used to associate concussion history with TMS, somatosensory variables. Results: Significant differences were found in symptom survey scores between all groups (p < 0.001). TMS showed significant differences between the "symptomatic" and control groups for intracortical inhibition and paired pulse TMS measures. Somatosensory measures showed significant differences for reaction time (p < 0.01) and reaction time variability (p < 0.01) between the "symptomatic" group to the "asymptomatic" and control groups. For other somatosensory measures, the "symptomatic" measures showed differences to the "control" group. Correlations showed significant associations between severity of symptom reporting with TMS and somatosensory measure, and regression revealed the number of concussions reported was shown to have significant relationships to increased intracortical inhibition and poorer somatosensory performance. Conclusion: This study shows that retired contact sport athletes expressing chronic symptoms showed significant pathophysiology compared to those with no ongoing concerns and non-concussed controls. Further, there is a linear dose-response relationship between number of reported concussions and abnormal neurophysiology. Neurophysiological assessments such as TMS and somatosensory measures represent useful and objective biomarkers to assess cortical impairments and progression of neuropsychological impairment in individuals with a history of repeated head trauma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alan J. Pearce
- College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Dawson J. Kidgell
- Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mark A. Tommerdahl
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chappell Hill, NC, United States
- Cortical Metrics, Carrboro, NC, United States
| | - Ashlyn K. Frazer
- Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Billymo Rist
- College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Rowena Mobbs
- Department of Neurology, Macquarie University Hospital, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Michael E. Buckland
- Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Brain and Mind Centre, University Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Lempke LB, Howell DR, Eckner JT, Lynall RC. Examination of Reaction Time Deficits Following Concussion: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med 2021; 50:1341-1359. [PMID: 32162242 DOI: 10.1007/s40279-020-01281-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reaction time (RT) deficits are reported following concussion, but it is unknown when these deficits normalize to pre-injury status. It is also unclear how factors such as RT measurement technique and participant characteristics influence post-concussion RT. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to (1) characterize acute post-concussion (0-3 days) RT impairments, (2) examine RT recovery over time, and (3) explore moderating factors related to acute RT impairment following concussion. METHODS Database searches (PubMed, CINAHL, EBSCOhost) were conducted according to PRISMA guidelines for articles published in English from January 2002 to March 2019. Studies compared baseline-to-post-injury RT within individuals (within-subject) and/or RT in concussed individuals to non-concussed controls (between-subject). Sixty studies met inclusion criteria, reporting on a total of 9688 participants with 214 discrete RT effects (Hedges' d; between-subject: N = 29, k = 129; within-subject: N = 42, k = 85). Of the 214 effects, 93 occurred in the acute (0-3 days) post-injury timeframe (k = 47 between-subject). Numerous demographic [sex, age, concussion history, population type (athlete, military, and general population), athlete level (high school, college), and sport], and method-based (RT test and measure type, computerized neurocognitive testing platform, concussion definition, and time post-injury) moderators were examined for mean effect influence. Mixed-effects multi-level modeling with restricted-maximum-likelihood estimation was used to account for nested effects and high heterogeneity for the pooled effect size (D+). RESULTS Significant medium-magnitude RT deficits were observed acutely for between- (D+ = - 0.7279, 95% CI - 0.9919, - 0.4639, I2 = 88.66, p < 0.0001) and within-subject (D+ = - 0.7472, 95% CI - 0.9089, - 0.5855, I2 = 89.21, p < 0.0001) effect models. RT deficits were present at the sub-acute and intermediate-term timeframes for between-subject effects (sub-acute: D+ = - 0.5655, 95% CI - 0.6958, - 0.4352, p < 0.0001; intermediate-term: D+ = - 0.3219, 95% CI - 0.5988, - 0.0450, p = 0.0245). No significant RT mean effect was observed for the between-subject model at the long-term timeframe, indicating RT recovery among concussed participants relative to controls (D+ = 0.3505, 95% CI - 0.4787, 1.1797, p = 0.3639). Sex was a significant moderator for between-subject effects, with every 1% male sample size increase demonstrating - 0.0171 (95% CI - 0.0312, - 0.0029, p = 0.0193) larger RT deficits. Within-subject effect models resulted in RT measure type (simple: [D+ = - 0.9826] vs. mixed: [D+ = - 0.6557], p = 0.0438) and computerized neurocognitive testing platforms (ANAM: [D+ = - 0.3735] vs. HeadMinder CRI: [D+ = - 1.4799] vs. ImPACT: [D+ = - 0.6749], p = 0.0004) having significantly different RT-deficit magnitudes. No other moderators produced significantly different RT-deficit magnitudes (between-subject: [p ≥ 0.0763], within-subject: [p ≥ 0.1723]). CONCLUSIONS Robust RT deficits were observed acutely following concussion. Minimal magnitude differences were noted when comparing between- and within-subject effects, suggesting that pre-injury baselines may not add clinical value in determining post-injury RT impairment. RT deficits persisted up till the intermediate-term (21-59 days post-injury) timeframe and indicate lingering deficits exist. Mean effect size differences were observed between RT measure types and computerized neurocognitive testing platforms; however, all categories displayed negative effects consistent with impaired RT following concussion. Clinical interpretation suggests that measuring RT post-concussion is more important than considering the RT method employed so long as reliable and valid tools are used. PROSPERO Registration #CRD42019119323.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Landon B Lempke
- UGA Concussion Research Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Ramsey Student Center, 330 River Rd., Athens, GA, 30602, USA. .,UGA Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - David R Howell
- Sports Medicine Center, Children's Hospital of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA.,Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - James T Eckner
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Robert C Lynall
- UGA Concussion Research Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Ramsey Student Center, 330 River Rd., Athens, GA, 30602, USA.,UGA Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Fatih P, Kucuker MU, Vande Voort JL, Doruk Camsari D, Farzan F, Croarkin PE. A Systematic Review of Long-Interval Intracortical Inhibition as a Biomarker in Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:678088. [PMID: 34149483 PMCID: PMC8206493 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.678088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-interval intracortical inhibition (LICI) is a paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) paradigm mediated in part by gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor B (GABAB) inhibition. Prior work has examined LICI as a putative biomarker in an array of neuropsychiatric disorders. This review conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) sought to examine existing literature focused on LICI as a biomarker in neuropsychiatric disorders. There were 113 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Existing literature suggests that LICI may have utility as a biomarker of GABAB functioning but more research with increased methodologic rigor is needed. The extant LICI literature has heterogenous methodology and inconsistencies in findings. Existing findings to date are also non-specific to disease. Future research should carefully consider existing methodological weaknesses and implement high-quality test-retest reliability studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Parmis Fatih
- Mayo Clinic Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - M Utku Kucuker
- Mayo Clinic Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Jennifer L Vande Voort
- Mayo Clinic Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Deniz Doruk Camsari
- Mayo Clinic Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Faranak Farzan
- School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering, Centre for Engineering-Led Brain Research, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC, Canada
| | - Paul E Croarkin
- Mayo Clinic Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Prien A, Feddermann-Demont N, Verhagen E, Twisk J, Junge A. Neurocognitive performance and mental health of retired female football players compared to non-contact sport athletes. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2020; 6:e000952. [PMID: 33312682 PMCID: PMC7716672 DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Adverse long-term effects of playing football due to repetitive head impact exposure on neurocognition and mental health are controversial. To date, no studies have evaluated such effects in women. Aims To (1) compare neurocognitive performance, cognitive symptoms and mental health in retired elite female football players (FB) with retired elite female non-contact sport athletes (CON), and to (2) assess whether findings are related to history of concussion and/or heading exposure in FB. Methods Neurocognitive performance, mental health and cognitive symptoms were assessed using computerised tests (CNS-vital signs), paper pen tests (Category fluency, Trail-Making Test, Digit Span, Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test), questionnaires (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, SF-36v2 Health Survey) and a symptom checklist. Heading exposure and concussion history were self-reported in an online survey and in a clinical interview, respectively. Linear regression was used to analyse the effect of football, concussion and heading exposure on outcomes adjusted for confounders. Results FB (n=66) performed similar to CON (n=45) on neurocognitive tests, except for significantly lower scores on verbal memory (mean difference (MD)=−7.038, 95% CI −12.98 to –0.08, p=0.038) and verbal fluency tests (MD=−7.534, 95% CI –13.75 to –0.46, p=0.016). Among FB weaker verbal fluency performance was significantly associated with ≥2 concussions (MD=−10.36, 95% CI –18.48 to –2.83, p=0.017), and weaker verbal memory performance with frequent heading (MD=−9.166, 95% CI –17.59 to –0.123, p=0.041). The depression score differed significantly between study populations, and was significantly associated with frequent heading but not with history of concussion in FB. Conclusion Further studies should investigate the clinical relevance of our findings and whether the observed associations point to a causal link between repetitive head impacts and verbal memory/fluency or mental health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annika Prien
- Fakultät Humanwissenschaften, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.,Amsterdam Collaboration on Health & Safety in Sports, Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC Locatie VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nina Feddermann-Demont
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Swiss Concussion Center (SCC), Schulthess Klinik, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Evert Verhagen
- Amsterdam Collaboration on Health & Safety in Sports, Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC Locatie VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Human Biology, Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Jos Twisk
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Amsterdam UMC Locatie VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Astrid Junge
- Fakultät Humanwissenschaften, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.,Swiss Concussion Center (SCC), Schulthess Klinik, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Karlsen RH, Saksvik SB, Stenberg J, Lundervold AJ, Olsen A, Rautio I, Folvik L, Håberg AK, Vik A, Karr JE, Iverson GL, Skandsen T. Examining the Subacute Effects of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Using a Traditional and Computerized Neuropsychological Test Battery. J Neurotrauma 2020; 38:74-85. [PMID: 32948095 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2019.6922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigates subacute cognitive effects of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) in the Trondheim Mild TBI Study, as measured, in part, by the neuropsychological test battery of the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in TBI (CENTER-TBI) program, including computerized tests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) and traditional paper-and-pencil tests. We investigated whether cognitive function was associated with injury severity: intracranial traumatic lesions on neuroimaging, witnessed loss of consciousness (LOC), or post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) >1 h. Further, we explored which of the tests in the CENTER-TBI battery might be associated with the largest subacute effects of MTBI (i.e., at 2 weeks post-injury). We recruited 177 patients with MTBI (16-59 years of age) from a regional trauma center and an outpatient clinic,79 trauma control participants, and 81 community control participants. The MTBI group differed from community controls only on one traditional test of processing speed (coding; p = 0.009, Cliff's delta [Δ] = 0.20). Patients with intracranial abnormalities performed worse than those without on a traditional test (phonemic verbal fluency; p = 0.043, Δ = 0.27), and patients with LOC performed differently on the Attention Switching Task from the CANTAB (p = 0.020, Δ = -0.20). Patients with PTA >1 h performed worse than those with <1 h on 10 measures, from traditional tests and the CANTAB (Δ = 0.33-0.20), likely attributable, at least in part, to pre-existing differences in intellectual functioning between groups. In general, those with MTBI had good neuropsychological outcome 2 weeks after injury and no particular CENTER-TBI computerized or traditional tests seemed to be more sensitive to subtle cognitive deficits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rune Hatlestad Karlsen
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Simen Berg Saksvik
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jonas Stenberg
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Alexander Olsen
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ida Rautio
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Line Folvik
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Asta Kristine Håberg
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Neurosurgery, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Anne Vik
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Neurosurgery, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Justin E Karr
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Spaulding Research Institute, Home Base Program, Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Grant L Iverson
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Spaulding Research Institute, Home Base Program, Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Toril Skandsen
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
King D, Hume PA, Clark TN, Pearce AJ. Use of the King-Devick test for the identification of concussion in an amateur domestic women's rugby union team over two competition seasons in New Zealand. J Neurol Sci 2020; 418:117162. [PMID: 33017712 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2020.117162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the use of the King-Devick (K-D) test for sideline assessment of concussive injuries in a New Zealand amateur women's rugby union team. DESIGN Prospective cohort observational. METHODS All players were K-D tested during pre-season using a tablet (iPad; Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA). Differences in K-D scores and test-retest reliability were calculated for baseline test scores, baseline, and post-injury (concussion) sideline assessment and baseline and post-season testing scores for tests by year and as a combined score. RESULTS One training-related (0.3 per 1000 training-hrs) and nine match-related (16.1 per 1000 match-hrs) concussions were recorded. The K-D post-injury (concussion) sideline test score were significantly slower than established baseline (-4.4 [-5.8 to -3.4] s; χ2(1) = 42.2; p < 0.0001; t(9) = -4.0; p = 0.0029; d = -0.8). There was good-to-excellent reliability of the K-D test for baseline (ICC: 0.84 to 0.89), post-injury (concussion) sideline assessment (ICC: 0.82 to 0.97) and post-season evaluation (ICC: 0.79 to 0.83). DISCUSSION By utilising the baseline to post-injury (concussion) assessment comparisons, any player with a post-injury (concussion) assessment slowing of their K-D test time, regardless of whether the player has, or has not had a witnessed insult, should be withheld from any further participation until they are evaluated by a medical professional trained in the management of concussion. CONCLUSION This study has provided additional evidence to support the use of the K-D test as a frontline method of assessing concussion with good to excellent reliability of the test for baseline, side-line assessment and post-season evaluation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D King
- Sport Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ), Faculty of Health and Environment Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand; School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia; School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition, Massey University, New Zealand.
| | - P A Hume
- School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia; National Institute of Stroke and Applied Neuroscience (NISAN), Faculty of Health and Environment Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - T N Clark
- International College of Management Sydney, Manly, New South Wales, Australia
| | - A J Pearce
- College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Altered motor system function in post-concussion syndrome as assessed via transcranial magnetic stimulation. Clin Neurophysiol Pract 2020; 5:157-164. [PMID: 32939420 PMCID: PMC7479250 DOI: 10.1016/j.cnp.2020.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Study examining corticospinal and cortical activity in post-concussion. Reduction in GABAB-mediated inhibition observed. These changes were associated with depression-related symptoms.
Objective It is unclear why specific individuals incur chronic symptoms following a concussion. This exploratory research aims to identify and characterize any neurophysiological differences that may exist in motor cortex function in post-concussion syndrome (PCS). Methods Fifteen adults with PCS and 13 healthy, non-injured adults were tested. All participants completed symptom questionnaires, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to measure intracortical and transcallosal excitability and inhibition in the dominant motor cortex. Results Cortical silent period (p = 0.02, g = 0.96) and ipsilateral silent period (p = 0.04, g = 0.78) were shorter in the PCS group compared to the control group which may reflect reduced GABA-mediated inhibition in PCS. Furthermore, increased corticomotor excitability was observed in the left hemisphere but not the right hemisphere. Conclusions These data suggest that persistent neurophysiological differences are present in those with PCS. The exact contributing factors to such changes remain to be investigated by future studies. Significance This study provides novel evidence of lasting neurophysiological changes in PCS.
Collapse
|
29
|
Scott E, Kidgell DJ, Frazer AK, Pearce AJ. The Neurophysiological Responses of Concussive Impacts: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:306. [PMID: 33192374 PMCID: PMC7481389 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated neurophysiological responses using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) following a concussion or sub-concussion. Methods: A systematic searching of relevant databases for peer-reviewed literature quantifying motor evoked potentials from TMS between 1999 and 2019 was performed. A meta-analysis quantified pooled data for measures including motor threshold, motor latency, and motor evoked potential amplitude and for inhibitory measures such as cortical silent period duration, short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), and long-interval intracortical inhibition (LICI) ratios. Results: Fifteen articles met the inclusion criteria. The studies were arbitrarily classified into the groups, based on time post-concussion, “acute” (subjects 0–3 months post-injury, n = 8) and “post-acute” (3 months−2 years post-concussion, n = 7). A TMS quality of study checklist rated studies from moderate to high in methodological quality; however, the risk of bias analysis found that the included studies were categorised as high risk of bias, particularly for a lack of allocation concealment and blinding of participants in the methodologies. A meta-analysis showed no differences in excitability measures, apart from a decreased motor threshold that was observed in the concussed group (SMD −0.28, 95% CI −0.51 to −0.04; P = 0.02) for the post-acute time frame. Conversely, all inhibitory measures showed differences between groups. Cortical silent period duration was found to be significantly increased in the acute (SMD 1.19, 95% CI 0.58–1.81; P < 0.001) and post-acute (SMD 0.55, 95% CI 0.12–0.98; P = 0.01) time frames. The SICI (SMD −1.15, 95% CI −1.95 to −0.34; P = 0.005) and LICI (SMD −1.95, 95% CI −3.04 to −0.85; P = 0.005) ratios were reduced, inferring increased inhibition, for the post-acute time frame. Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrates that inhibitory pathways are affected in the acute period post-concussion. However, persistent alterations in cortical excitability remain, with increased intracortical inhibition. While TMS should be considered as a reliable technique to measure the functional integrity of the central nervous system, the high risk of bias and heterogeneity in data suggest that future studies should aim to incorporate standardised methodological techniques, particularly with threshold determination and stimulus intervals for paired-pulse measures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily Scott
- College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Dawson J Kidgell
- Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ashlyn K Frazer
- Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Alan J Pearce
- College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Stenberg J, Karr JE, Terry DP, Saksvik SB, Vik A, Skandsen T, Silverberg ND, Iverson GL. Developing Cognition Endpoints for the CENTER-TBI Neuropsychological Test Battery. Front Neurol 2020; 11:670. [PMID: 32765400 PMCID: PMC7379151 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Measuring cognitive functioning is common in traumatic brain injury (TBI) research, but no universally accepted method for combining several neuropsychological test scores into composite, or summary, scores exists. This study examined several possible composite scores for the test battery used in the large-scale study Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI). Methods: Participants with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI; n = 140), orthopedic trauma (n = 72), and healthy community controls (n = 70) from the Trondheim MTBI follow-up study completed the CENTER-TBI test battery at 2 weeks after injury, which includes both traditional paper-and-pencil tests and tests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Seven composite scores were calculated for the paper and pencil tests, the CANTAB tests, and all tests combined (i.e., 21 composites): the overall test battery mean (OTBM); global deficit score (GDS); neuropsychological deficit score-weighted (NDS-W); low score composite (LSC); and the number of scores ≤5th percentile, ≤16th percentile, or <50th percentile. Results: The OTBM and the number of scores <50th percentile composites had distributional characteristics approaching a normal distribution. The other composites were in general highly skewed and zero-inflated. When the MTBI group, the trauma control group, and the community control group were compared, effect sizes were negligible to small for all composites. Subgroups with vs. without loss of consciousness at the time of injury did not differ on the composite scores and neither did subgroups with complicated vs. uncomplicated MTBIs. Intercorrelations were high within the paper-and-pencil composites, the CANTAB composites, and the combined composites and lower between the paper-and-pencil composites and the CANTAB composites. Conclusion: None of the composites revealed significant differences between participants with MTBI and the two control groups. Some of the composite scores were highly correlated and may be redundant. Additional research on patients with moderate to severe TBIs is needed to determine which scores are most appropriate for TBI clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Stenberg
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Neurosurgery, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Justin E Karr
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Spaulding Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Douglas P Terry
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Simen B Saksvik
- Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Anne Vik
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Neurosurgery, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Toril Skandsen
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Noah D Silverberg
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Division of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Rehabilitation Research Program, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Grant L Iverson
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Spaulding Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Cognitive Ageing in Top-Level Female Soccer Players Compared to a Normative Sample from the General Population: A Cross-sectional Study. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2020; 26:645-653. [PMID: 32098636 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617720000119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is an ongoing debate on the potential negative effect of contact sport participation on long-term neurocognitive performance due to inherent exposure to concussive and subconcussive head impacts. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether cognitive ageing is exacerbated in elite soccer players compared to the general population. METHOD Neurocognitive performance in 6 domains was compared between 240 elite soccer players and a normative sample from the general population (n = 585) using the computerised test battery CNS Vital Signs. We used two-way factorial ANOVA to analyse the interaction between age groups (15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49 years) and study population (female soccer players vs. norm sample) in their effects on neurocognitive performance. RESULTS We found no significant interaction effect of age group and study population in five of six test domains. For processing speed, the effect of age was more pronounced in female soccer players (F = 16.89, p = .002). Further, there was a clear main effect of study population on neurocognitive performance with generally better scores in soccer players. CONCLUSIONS Elite female soccer players generally performed better than the norm sample on tests of cognitive function, and further, cognitive ageing effects were similar in elite soccer players and controls in all but one domain. A lifespan approach may facilitate insightful future research regarding questions related to long-term neurocognitive health in contact sport athletes.
Collapse
|
32
|
Cunningham J, Broglio SP, O'Grady M, Wilson F. History of Sport-Related Concussion and Long-Term Clinical Cognitive Health Outcomes in Retired Athletes: A Systematic Review. J Athl Train 2020; 55:132-158. [PMID: 31935139 DOI: 10.4085/1062-6050-297-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sport-related concussions (SRCs) are known to have short-term effects on cognitive processes, which can result in diverse clinical presentations. The long-term effects of SRC and repeated exposure to head impacts that do not result in SRC on specific cognitive health outcomes remain unclear. OBJECTIVES To synthesize and appraise the evidence base regarding cognitive health in living retired athletes with a history of head-impact exposure or SRC. DATA SOURCES A systematic search of the EMBASE, PsycINFO, MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science databases was conducted from inception to April 2018 using common key words and medical subject headings related to 3 components: (1) the participant (eg, retired athlete), (2) the primary outcome measure (eg, cognitive test used), and (3) the secondary outcome measure (eg, history of sport concussion). STUDY SELECTION Cross-sectional studies of living retired male or female athletes in which at least 1 cognitive test was used as an outcome measure were included. Two reviewers independently screened studies. DATA EXTRACTION Data extraction was performed using Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Methodologic quality was assessed independently by 2 reviewers using the Downs and Black tool. DATA SYNTHESIS The search yielded 46 cross-sectional observational studies that were included in a qualitative synthesis. Most included studies (80%, n = 37) were published in the 5 years before our review. A large proportion of these studies (n = 20) included retired American National Football League players. The other research investigated professional, university, high school, and amateur retired athletes participating in sports such as American and Australian football, boxing, field and ice hockey, rugby, and soccer. The total sample consisted of 13 975 participants: 7387 collision-sport athletes, 662 contact-sport athletes, 3346 noncontact-sport athletes, and 2580 participants classified as controls. Compared with control participants or normative data, retired athletes displayed worse performance in 17 of 31 studies (55%) of memory, 6 of 11 studies (55%) of executive function, and 4 of 6 studies (67%) of psychomotor function and increased subjective concerns about cognitive function in 11 of 14 studies (79%). The authors of 13 of 46 investigations (28%) reported a frequency-response relationship, with poorer cognitive outcomes in athletes who had greater levels of exposure to head impacts or concussions. However, these results must be interpreted in light of the lack of methodologic rigor and moderate quality assessment of the included studies. CONCLUSIONS Evidence of poorer cognitive health among retired athletes with a history of concussion and head-impact exposure is evolving. Our results suggest that a history of SRC may more greatly affect the cognitive domains of memory, executive function, and psychomotor function. Retired athletes appeared to have increased self-reported cognitive difficulties, but the paucity of high-quality, prospective studies limited the conclusions that could be drawn regarding a cause-and-effect relationship between concussion and long-term health outcomes. Future researchers should consider a range of cognitive health outcomes, as well as premorbid ability, in diverse samples of athletes with or without a history of concussion or head-impact exposure to delineate the long-term effects of sport participation on cognitive functioning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joice Cunningham
- Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St James Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Megan O'Grady
- Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St James Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Fiona Wilson
- Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St James Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Pearce AJ, Kidgell DJ, Frazer AK, King DA, Buckland ME, Tommerdahl M. Corticomotor correlates of somatosensory reaction time and variability in individuals with post concussion symptoms. Somatosens Mot Res 2019; 37:14-21. [PMID: 31809669 DOI: 10.1080/08990220.2019.1699045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Persistent post concussion symptoms (PPCS) describe the condition when an individual experiences chronic symptoms, particularly fatigue, beyond the expected time of recovery. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of fatigue and related ongoing symptoms on somatosensory and corticomotor pathways using reaction time (RT) testing, and single-pulse and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Eighty-three participants (nine female, mean age 37.9 ± 11.5 years) were divided into two groups (persistent symptoms versus asymptomatic) following self-report based upon previously published clinical symptom scores. All participants completed somatosensory and visuomotor RT testing, as well as corticomotor excitability and inhibition measurements via TMS. Participants in the persistent symptom group (n = 38) reported greater number of previous concussions (t = 2.81, p = 0.006) and significantly higher levels of fatigue and related symptoms in the asymptomatic group (n = 45; t = 11.32, p < 0.006). Somatosensory RT showed significant slowing and increased variability in the persistent symptoms group (p < 0.001), however no significant differences were observed between groups for visuomotor RTs. Transcranial magnetic stimulation revealed differences between groups for intracortical inhibition at all stimulus intensities and paired pulse measures. The results indicate that somatosensory and corticomotor systems reflect on-going fatigue. From a practical perspective, objective and simplistic measures such as somatosensory and corticomotor measures can be used in the assessment of PPCS and gauging the efficacy of post concussion rehabilitation programmes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alan J Pearce
- College of Health Science and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Dawson J Kidgell
- Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ashlyn K Frazer
- Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Doug A King
- Faculty of Health and Environmental Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Michael E Buckland
- Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.,Brain and Mind Centre, University Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Mark Tommerdahl
- Cortical Metrics, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, NC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation-Electroencephalography Measures of Cortical Neuroplasticity Are Altered after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neurotrauma 2019; 36:2774-2784. [DOI: 10.1089/neu.2018.6353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
|
35
|
Long-Term Cognitive Performance of Retired Athletes with Sport-Related Concussion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Brain Sci 2019; 9:brainsci9080199. [PMID: 31412586 PMCID: PMC6721785 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9080199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this systematic review is to quantitatively estimate (or invest) the impacts of sports-related concussions (SRCs) on cognitive performance among retired athletes more than 10 years after retirement. Methods: Six databases including (MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, and PsycArtilces) were employed to retrieve the related studies. Studies that evaluate the association between cognitive function and the SRC of retired athletes sustaining more than 10 years were included. Results: A total of 11 studies that included 792 participants (534 retired athletes with SRC) were identified. The results indicated that the retired athletes with SRCs, compared to the non-concussion group, had significant cognitive deficits in verbal memory (SMD = -0.29, 95% CI -0.59 to -0.02, I2 = 52.8%), delayed recall (SMD = -0.30, 95% CI -0.46 to 0.07, I2 = 27.9%), and attention (SMD = -0.33, 95% CI -0.59 to -0.06, I2 = 0%). Additionally, meta-regression demonstrated that the period of time between testing and the last concussion is significantly associated with reduced verbal memory (β = -0.03681, p = 0.03), and increasing age is significantly associated with the verbal memory (β = -0.03767, p = 0.01), immediate recall (β = -0.08684, p = 0.02), and delay recall (β = -0.07432, p = 0.02). Conclusion: The retired athletes who suffered from SRCs during their playing career had declined cognitive performance in partial domains (immediate recall, visuospatial ability, and reaction time) later in life.
Collapse
|
36
|
Buckland ME, Sy J, Szentmariay I, Kullen A, Lee M, Harding A, Halliday G, Suter CM. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy in two former Australian National Rugby League players. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2019; 7:97. [PMID: 31242928 PMCID: PMC6595631 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-019-0751-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
|
37
|
Pearce AJ, Tommerdahl M, King DA. Neurophysiological abnormalities in individuals with persistent post-concussion symptoms. Neuroscience 2019; 408:272-281. [PMID: 31004695 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2018] [Revised: 04/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Concussion injury results in a rapid onset of transient neurological impairment that can resolve quickly, or sometimes evolve over time, but usually resolve within seven to 10 days. However, a small but noticeable cohort (~10%) of individuals continues to experience persistent lingering effects, particularly fatigue, recognized as post-concussion symptoms (PCS). This study explored neurophysiological mechanisms in people with persistent PCS. Studies involved using self-report post-concussion fatigue scale, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and somatosensory stimulation in those with diagnosed PCS (n = 20; 36.1 ± 14.0 yr., 4 female; mean time post-concussion 15.4 ± 7.6 months) to fully recovered individuals (n = 20; 33.8 ± 6.6 yr., 2 female; post-concussion 12.9 ± 6.6 months) and healthy controls (n = 20; 37.7 ± 8.0 yr., 3 female). PCS participants demonstrated a significantly higher self-report fatigue (score: PCS 20.2 [95% CI 17.4-22.9], Recovered 6.2 [3.1-9.3], Control 2.75 [0.6-4.8]). PCS participants showed a worsening of reaction time (F2,57 = 4.214; p = 0.020) and increased reaction time variability (F2,57 = 5.505; p = 0.007). Somatosensory differences were observed for amplitude discrimination (F2,57 = 5.166; p = 0.009), temporal order judgment (F2,57 = 4.606; p = 0.014) and duration discrimination (F2,57 = 6.081; p = 0.004). Increased intracortical inhibition in TMS single pulse suprathreshold stimulation (110%: F2,57 = 6.842; p = 0.002; 130%: F2,57 = 4.900; p = 0.011; 150%: F2,57 = 4.638; p = 0.014; 170%: F2,57 = 9.845; p < 0.001) and paired pulse protocols was also seen (SICI: F2,57 = 23.390; p < 0.001, and LICI: F2,57 = 21.603; p < 0.001). Using non-invasive stimulation techniques, this novel study showed increased cortical inhibition and compromised central information processing, suggesting neural mechanisms underpinning ongoing fatigue, allowing for potential clinical rehabilitation strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alan J Pearce
- School of Allied Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Mark Tommerdahl
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Doug A King
- Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ), Faculty of Health and Environmental Science Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|