Citation

Meier T, Bellgowan PSF, Bergamino M, Ling J, Mayer A. J. Neurotrauma 2015; 33(4): 330-338.

Affiliation

The Mind Research Network , 1101 Yale Blvd. NE , Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States , 87106 ; amayer@mrn.org.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

10.1089/neu.2015.3919

PMID

26061068

Abstract

Emerging evidence suggests that a history of sports-related concussions can lead to long-term neuroanatomical changes. The extent to which similar changes are present in young athletes is undetermined at this time. Here, we tested the hypothesis that collegiate American football athletes with (N=25) and without (N=24) a self-reported history of concussion would have cortical thickness differences and altered white matter integrity relative to healthy controls (N=27) in fronto-temporal regions that appear particularly susceptible to traumatic brain injury. Freesurfer software was used to estimate cortical thickness, fractional anisotropy was calculated in a priori white matter tracts, and behavior was assessed using a concussion behavioral battery. Groups did not differ in self-reported symptoms (p>0.10) or cognitive performance (p>0.10). Healthy controls reported significantly higher happiness levels than both football groups (p's<0.01). Contrary to our hypothesis, no differences in fractional anisotropy were observed between our groups (p>0.10). However, football athletes with a history of concussion had significantly thinner cortex in the left anterior cingulate cortex, orbital frontal cortex, and medial superior frontal cortex relative to healthy controls (p=0.02, d=-0.69). Furthermore, football athletes with a history of concussion had significantly thinner cortex in the right central sulcus and precentral gyrus relative to football athletes without a history of concussion (p=0.03, d=-0.71). No differences were observed between football athletes without a history of concussion and healthy controls. These results suggest that previous concussions, but not necessarily football exposure, may be associated with cortical thickness differences in collegiate football athletes.

Language: en