Citation

Oliver J, Jones M, Anzalone A, Kirk M, Gable D, Repshas J, Johnson T, Hogland K, Blennow K, Zetterberg H. J. Neurotrauma 2017; 34(23): 3295-3300.

Affiliation

Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Dept. of Neuroscience and Physiology , Sahlgrenska University Hospital , Mölndal, Sweden , S43180 ; henrik.zetterberg@clinchem.gu.se.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

10.1089/neu.2017.5064

PMID

28614998

Abstract

American football athletes are routinely exposed to sub-concussive impacts over the course of the season. This study sought to examine the effect of a season of American football on plasma tau, a potential marker of axonal damage. Nineteen (n =19) National Collegiate Association (NCAA) American football athletes underwent serial blood sampling over the course of the 2014-2015 season at those times in which the number and magnitude of head impacts likely changed. Non-contact, sport-control, NCAA men's swim athletes (n=19) provided a single plasma sample for comparison. No significant differences were observed between control swim athletes and American football athletes following a period of non-contact (p = 0.569) or a period of contact (p = 0.076). Those American football athletes categorized as starters (n=11) had higher tau concentrations than non-starters (n=8) following a period of non-contact (p = 0.039) and contact (p = 0.036), but not higher than swimmers (p = 1.000 and p = 1.000, respectively). No difference was noted over the course of the season in American football athletes irrespective of starter status. Despite routine head impacts, common to the sport of American football, no changes were observed over the course of the season in American football athletes, irrespective of starter status. Further, no difference was observed between American football athletes and non-contact control swim athletes following a period of non-contact or contact. These data suggest that plasma tau is not sensitive enough to detect damage associated with repetitive sub-concussive impacts sustained by collegiate level American football athletes.

Language: en

Keywords

ADULT BRAIN INJURY; AXONAL INJURY; BIOMARKERS; OUTCOME MEASURES; TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY