Citation

Meier T, Espana L, Kirk A, Nader AM, Powell J, Nelson LD, Mayer A, Brett BL. J. Neurotrauma 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

10.1089/neu.2020.7143

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

There is concern that prior concussion and contact sport exposure may have negative effects on brain structure and function. Accurately quantifying prior concussion is complicated by the fact that multiple definitions exist, with recent definitions allowing for diagnosis based on the presence of symptoms alone (Concussion in Sport Group criteria; CISG) rather than the presence of acute injury characteristics such as alterations in mental status (American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine criteria; ACRM). The goals of the current work were to determine the effects of prior concussion and contact sport exposure on gray matter structure and clinical measures in healthy, young-adult athletes and to determine the extent to which these associations are influenced by diagnostic criteria used to retrospectively quantify concussions. One-hundred and eight collegiate-aged athletes were enrolled; 106 athletes were included in final analyses (age 21.37±1.69; 33 female). Participants completed a clinical battery of self-report and neurocognitive measures and MRI to quantify subcortical volumes and cortical thickness. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to measure exposure to contact sports and the number of prior concussions based on CISG and ACRM criteria. There was a significant association of concussion-related and psychological symptoms with prior concussions based on ACRM (ps<0.05) but not CISG criteria. Hippocampal volume was inversely associated with the number of prior concussions for both criteria (ps<0.05).

FINDINGS provide evidence that prior concussions are associated with smaller hippocampal volumes and greater subjective clinical symptoms in otherwise healthy athletes and highlight the importance of diagnostic criteria used to quantify prior concussion.

Language: en

Keywords

MRI; TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY; BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENTS