scholarly journals Advanced mapping of the human white matter microstructure better separates elite sports participation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley Caron ◽  
Daniel Bullock ◽  
Lindsey Kitchell ◽  
Brent McPherson ◽  
Derek Alexander Kellar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Brain Tissue ◽  
Sports Participation ◽  
Tissue Structure ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Head Impacts ◽  
Repetitive Head Impacts ◽  
Brain White Matter

Collision-sport athletes, especially football players, are exposed to a higher number of repetitive head impacts. Little is known, however, regarding the effects of long-term exposure to repetitive head impacts on brain tissue structure and the locations (i.e. superficial or deep tissue structures) affected. On top of this, little is known about the effects of highly competitive, strenuous, long-term athletics on brain tissue structure. We investigated this relationship using advanced microstructural mapping techniques. Specifically, we examined the baseline differences in collegiate athletic participants by using two models of the diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging signal (the Diffusion Tensor and NODDI model). DTI and NODDI parameters were mapped in both cortical and subcortical structures, as well as in the major white matter tracts. Three groups of young adults participated in our study; IU football players, cross country runners, and non-athlete students. For both models, athletes were found to have consistently higher measures of microstructure than controls. The NODDI model parameters showed stronger results indicating that it might be more sensitive to capturing differences in brain white matter tissue microstructure than the DTI model. This was the first investigation into the effects of repetitive head impacts to use an open-source data processing platform brainlife.io. Data and analyses for this study are available at https://doi.org/10.25663/brainlife.pub.14.

Association Between Antemortem FLAIR White Matter Hyperintensities and Neuropathology in Brain Donors Exposed to Repetitive Head Impacts

Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 10.1212/WNL.0000000000013012
Author(s):  
Madeline Uretsky ◽  
Sylvain Bouix ◽  
Ronald J. Killiany ◽  
Yorghos Tripodis ◽  
Brett Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
White Matter Hyperintensities ◽  
Microvascular Disease ◽  
Head Impact ◽  
American Football ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Head Impacts ◽  
Repetitive Head Impacts ◽  
Pathological Correlation ◽  
Daily Function

Background and Objectives:Late neuropathologies of repetitive head impacts from contact sports can include chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and white matter degeneration. White matter hyperintensities (WMH) on fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI scans are often viewed as microvascular disease from vascular risk, but might have unique underlying pathologies and risk factors in the setting of repetitive head impacts. We investigated the neuropathological correlates of antemortem WMH in brain donors exposed to repetitive head impacts. The association between WMH, and repetitive head impact exposure and informant-reported cognitive and daily function were tested.Methods:This imaging-pathological correlation study included symptomatic deceased men exposed to repetitive head impacts. Donors had antemortem FLAIR scans from medical records and were without evidence of CNS neoplasm, large vessel infarcts, hemorrhage, and/or encephalomalacia. WMH were quantified using log-transformed values for total lesion volume (TLV), calculated using the lesion prediction algorithm from the Lesion Segmentation Toolbox. Neuropathological assessments included semi-quantitative ratings of white matter rarefaction, cerebrovascular disease, p-tau severity (CTE stage, dorsolateral frontal cortex), and Aβ. Among football players, years of play was a proxy for repetitive head impact exposure. Retrospective informant-reported cognitive and daily function were assessed using the Cognitive Difficulties Scale (CDS) and Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ). Regression models controlled for demographics, diabetes, hypertension, and MRI resolution. Statistical significance was defined as p<0.05.Results:The sample included 75 donors: 67 football players and 8 non-football contact sport athletes and/or military veterans. Dementia was the most common MRI indication (64%). Fifty-three (70.7%) had CTE at autopsy. Log-TLV was associated with white matter rarefaction (OR=2.32, 95% CI=1.03,5.24, p=0.04), arteriolosclerosis (OR=2.38, 95% CI=1.02,5.52, p=0.04), CTE stage (OR=2.58, 95% CI=1.17,5.71, p=0.02), and dorsolateral frontal p-tau severity (OR=3.03, 95% CI=1.32,6.97, p=0.01). There was no association with Aβ. More years of football play was associated with log-TLV (b=0.04, 95% CI=0.01,0.06, p=0.01). Greater log-TLV correlated with higher FAQ (unstandardized beta=4.94, 95% CI=0.42,8.57, p=0.03) and CDS scores (unstandardized beta=15.35, 95% CI=-0.27,30.97, p=0.05).Discussion:WMH might capture long-term white matter pathologies from repetitive head impacts, including those from white matter rarefaction and p-tau, in addition to microvascular disease. Prospective imaging-pathological correlation studies are needed.Classification of Evidence:This study provides Class IV evidence of associations between FLAIR white matter hyperintensities, and neuropathological changes (white matter rarefaction, arteriolosclerosis, p-tau accumulation), years of American football play, and reported cognitive symptoms in symptomatic brain donors exposed to repetitive head impacts.

scholarly journals Persistent, Long-term Cerebral White Matter Changes after Sports-Related Repetitive Head Impacts

PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. e94734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey J. Bazarian ◽  
Tong Zhu ◽  
Jianhui Zhong ◽  
Damir Janigro ◽  
Eric Rozen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Cerebral White Matter ◽  
White Matter Changes ◽  
Head Impacts ◽  
Repetitive Head Impacts

scholarly journals REPETITIVE HEAD IMPACTS IN YOUTH FOOTBALL: DESCRIPTION AND RELATIONSHIP TO WHITE MATTER STRUCTURE

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 2325967119S0000
Author(s):  
Kurt Nilsson
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Average Weight ◽  
Average Height ◽  
Head Impacts ◽  
Repetitive Head Impacts ◽  
Number Magnitude ◽  
Youth Football ◽  
Total Magnitude ◽  
Tackle Football

Background: A growing body of evidence has suggested that repetitive head impacts (RHIs) in collision sports produce changes in white matter tracts of athletes as detected by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Few studies have examined DTI in 8-12 year old collision sport (CS) athletes, compared them to non-collision sports (NCS) athletes, and correlated findings to accelerometry data. We sought to explore whether, after a single season of participation in youth football, 8-12 year old male CS athletes will: 1) have change in DTI fractional anisotropy (FA) of commonly injured brain regions, 2) have FA differences when compared to an age-matched NCS cohort, and 3) whether there is a correlation between FA and number, magnitude, and location of impacts. Methods: Thirty five 8-12 year old male participants in an organized youth tackle football league were recruited (CS) and matched with twelve 8-12 year old male participants in a local swim team (NCS). Each cohort underwent brain MRI with FA at 5 regions of interest (ROIs) before the youth football season and again immediately following the football season. CS participants’ helmets were instrumented with a force switch sensor to record number, magnitude, and direction of head impacts throughout a single season. Descriptive statistics were calculated for age, height, weight, FA values in all DTI ROIs (Anterior Corona Radiata (ACR), Cingulate Cortex (CgC), Genu of the Corpus Collosum (gCC), Posterior Limb of the Internal Capsule (pllC) and Splenium of the Corpus Collosum (SCC)), magnitude of head impact recorded by accelerometry by season, game and practice, number of hits by season, game and practice and by direction (top, side and rear). A mixed model (group by time) repeated measures MANOVA was conducted to determine if there were any differences in FA between the CS group and the NCS group from pre- to post-season. Correlation and regression analyses were carried out to determine if there was a relationship between the changes of FA from pre- to post-season and number and magnitude of head impacts in the CS group. Results: The average age of participants was: CS: 10.11 years, NCS: 10.17 years. The average height of participants was: CS: 56.89±4.06 inches; NCS: 59.92±5.00 inches (p=0.04). The average weight was: CS: 84.23±21.51 lbs; NCS: 84.75±24.04 lbs, (p>0.05). A total of 1905 hits were recorded for 34 participants in the CS group for the season, 341 (17.9% of total) collected during 7 games and 1564 (82.1% of total) observed during 31 practices. A total of 301 impacts (15.8% of total) with magnitude >= 80 g were collected. For brain ROIs investigated with FA, no significant interaction between group (CS and NCS) and time (pre to post season) was observed (p>0.05). Correlation analysis revealed a significantly positive and moderate relationship between increase of left CgC FA from pre to post season and the total magnitude of lateral head impacts (r=0.40, p=0.03). Conclusion: Our cohort of 8-12 year old male football players sustained fewer impacts when compared to prior accelerometry studies on youth football, although there was a larger number of higher force impacts recorded. There was no significant change in FA measurement of white matter integrity in our youth football players after a single football season, nor was there any difference detected in FA between youth football players and an age-matched cohort of swimmers. There was a significant correlation between total magnitude of hits sustained by youth football players during the season and an increase in FA in the left CgC. Whether this finding is adaptive or pathologic remains unclear. Significance: There is no evidence that 8-12 year old male football players sustain significant white matter changes after a single season of tackle football, although there is positive correlation of FA of the left cingulate gyrus to total magnitude of head impacts over the season.

scholarly journals QOL-09. WHOLE-BRAIN WHITE MATTER NETWORK CONNECTIVITY IS DISRUPTED BY PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR TREATMENT

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii432-iii432
Author(s):  
Adeoye Oyefiade ◽  
Kiran Beera ◽  
Iska Moxon-Emre ◽  
Jovanka Skocic ◽  
Ute Bartels ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Pediatric Brain Tumor ◽  
Pediatric Brain Tumors ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Images ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Brain White Matter ◽  
The Right ◽  
Pediatric Brain ◽  
Betweeness Centrality

Abstract INTRODUCTION Treatments for pediatric brain tumors (PBT) are neurotoxic and lead to long-term deficits that are driven by the perturbation of underlying white matter (WM). It is unclear if and how treatment may impair WM connectivity across the entire brain. METHODS Magnetic resonance images from 41 PBT survivors (mean age: 13.19 years, 53% M) and 41 typically developing (TD) children (mean age: 13.32 years, 51% M) were analyzed. Image reconstruction, segmentation, and node parcellation were completed in FreeSurfer. DTI maps and probabilistic streamline generation were completed in MRtrix3. Connectivity matrices were based on the number of streamlines connecting two nodes and the mean DTI (FA) index across streamlines. We used graph theoretical analyses to define structural differences between groups, and random forest (RF) analyses to identify hubs that reliably classify PBT and TD children. RESULTS For survivors treated with radiation, betweeness centrality was greater in the left insular (p &lt; 0.000) but smaller in the right pallidum (p &lt; 0.05). For survivors treated without radiation (surgery-only), betweeness centrality was smaller in the right interparietal sulcus (p &lt; 0.05). RF analyses showed that differences in WM connectivity from the right pallidum to other parts of the brain reliably classified PBT survivors from TD children (classification accuracy = 77%). CONCLUSIONS The left insular, right pallidum, and right inter-parietal sulcus are structurally perturbed hubs in PBT survivors. WM connectivity from the right pallidum is vulnerable to the long-term effects of treatment for PBT.

Abstract TMP56: Differential Effect of Left versus Right White Matter Hyperintensity Burden on Functional Decline: The Northern Manhattan Study

Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandip S Dhamoon ◽  
Ying-Kuen Cheung ◽  
Ahmet M Bagci ◽  
Dalila Varela ◽  
Noam Alperin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Functional Decline ◽  
Frontal Lobes ◽  
White Matter Hyperintensity ◽  
Periventricular White Matter ◽  
Parietal Lobes ◽  
Brain White Matter ◽  
The Right

Background: We previously showed that overall brain white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV) was associated with accelerated long-term functional decline. Asymmetry of brain dysfunction may disrupt brain network efficiency. We hypothesized that greater left-right WMHV asymmetry was associated with functional trajectories. Methods: In the Northern Manhattan MRI study, participants had brain MRI with axial T1, T2, and fluid attenuated inversion recovery sequences, with baseline interview and examination. Volumetric WMHV distribution across 14 brain regions (brainstem, cerebellum, and bilateral frontal, occipital, temporal, and parietal lobes, and bilateral anterior and posterior periventricular white matter) was determined separately by combining bimodal image intensity distribution and atlas based methods.. Participants had annual functional assessments with the Barthel index (BI, range 0-100) over a mean of 7.3 years. Generalized estimating equations models estimated associations of regional WMHV and regional left-right asymmetry with baseline BI and change over time, adjusted for baseline medical risk factors, sociodemographics, and cognition, and stroke and myocardial infarction during follow-up. Results: Among 1195 participants, mean age was 71 (SD 9) years, 39% were male, 67% had hypertension and 19% diabetes. Greater WMHV asymmetry in the frontal lobes (-3.53 BI points per unit greater WMHV on the right compared to left, 95% CI -0.18, -6.88) and whole brain (-7.23 BI points, 95% CI 0.07, -14.54) was associated with lower overall function. Greater WMHV asymmetry in the frontal lobes (-0.74 additional BI points per year per unit greater WMHV on the right compared to left, 95% CI 0.05, -1.54) and parietal lobes (1.11 additional BI points per year, 95% CI 0.30, 1.93) was independently associated with accelerated functional decline. Periventricular WMHV asymmetry was not associated with function. Conclusions: In this large population-based study with long-term repeated measures of function, greater regional WMHV asymmetry was associated with lower function and functional decline, especially with greater WMHV on the right. In addition to global WMHV, WHMV asymmetry may be an important predictor of long-term functional decline.

scholarly journals A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study on the Phonology-related Pathways in Cantonese-mandarin Bilinguals.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyu Xu ◽  
Yuying Jin ◽  
Ning Pan ◽  
Muqing Cao ◽  
Jin Jing ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Phonological Processing ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Mean Diffusivity ◽  
Imaging Study ◽  
Brain White Matter ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Right ◽  
Long Term Experience

Abstract Cantonese and Mandarin are logographic languages, and the phonology is the main difference between the two languages. It is unclear whether long-term experience of Cantonese-Mandarin bilingualism will shape different brain white matter structures of pathways related to phonological processing. 30 Cantonese-Mandarin bilinguals and 30 Mandarin monolinguals completed diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) scans and phonological processing tasks. The tractography and TBSS were used to investigate the structural differences in the bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) between Cantonese-Mandarin bilinguals and Mandarin monolinguals. Post-hoc correlation analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between the different structures with phonological processing skills. Compared to the Mandarin monolinguals, the Cantonese-Mandarin bilinguals had higher fractional anisotropy (FA) along the left ILF, higher mean diffusivity (MD) in the clusters along the temporoparietal segment of SLF (tSLF), as well as higher axial diffusivity (AD) in the right tSLF, IFOF, bilateral ILF. The mean AD of the different voxels in the right IFOF and the mean FA of the different voxels in the left ILF were positively correlated with the inverse efficiency score (IES) of the Cantonese auditory and Mandarin visual rhyming judgment tasks respectively within the bilingual group. Long-term experience of Cantonese-Mandarin bilinguals shape different brain white matter structures including right tSLF, IFOF, bilateral ILF. The bilinguals’ white matter showed higher diffusivity, especially in the axonal direction, than the monolinguals. These changes were related to bilinguals’ phonological processing.

scholarly journals Long‐term effects of repetitive head impacts on gray matter cortical thickness

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (S6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bailee Brekke ◽  
Renee DeVivo ◽  
Ann C. McKee ◽  
Thor D. Stein ◽  
Yorghos Tripodis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Gray Matter ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Head Impacts ◽  
Repetitive Head Impacts

scholarly journals Repetitive Head Impacts in Youth Football: Description and Relationship to White Matter Structure

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 507-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kurt J. Nilsson ◽  
Hilary G. Flint ◽  
Yong Gao ◽  
Leslie Kendrick ◽  
Steve Cutchin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
The Body ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Head Impacts ◽  
Number Magnitude ◽  
Youth Football ◽  
Total Magnitude ◽  
Tackle Football

Background: Few studies have examined white matter with diffusion tensor imaging in 8- to 12-year-old collision sport (CS) athletes. Hypothesis: Youth CS athletes will demonstrate change in brain fractional anisotropy (FA) after a season of CS compared with an age-matched noncollision sport (NCS) cohort, and the number, magnitude, and location of hits will correlate with changes in the brain determined via FA for CS athletes. Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Methods: Thirty-five 8- to 12-year-old males in a youth tackle football league (CS) and 12 males from local swim teams (NCS) were recruited. Participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging with FA before and after the football season. Number, magnitude, and direction of head impacts were recorded for CS participants throughout the season. Results: A total of 1905 hits were recorded in the CS group for the season, 341 (17.9%) collected during 7 games and 1564 (82.1%) observed during 31 practices. No significant interaction between group (CS and NCS) and time (pre- and postseason) was observed for FA ( P > 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed a significantly positive and moderate relationship between increase of left cingulate cortex (CgC) FA from pre- to postseason and the total magnitude of lateral head impacts ( r = 0.40; P = 0.03). Conclusion: There was no significant change in FA measurement of white matter integrity in a cohort of 8- to 12-year-old males after a season of youth football, nor was any difference detected in FA between youth football players and an age-matched cohort of swimmers. There was a significant correlation between total magnitude of hits sustained by youth football players and an increase in FA in the left CgC; whether this is adaptive or pathologic remains unknown. Clinical Relevance: These data can be used within the body of knowledge to counsel patients regarding the known risks of youth tackle football regarding brain health.

Abstract WP192: Periventricular White Matter Hyperintensities Are Associated With Functional Decline: The Northern Manhattan Study

Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandip S Dhamoon ◽  
Ying-Kuen Cheung ◽  
Ahmet M Bagci ◽  
Chensy Marquez ◽  
Noam Alperin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Brain Mri ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Functional Decline ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
White Matter Hyperintensity ◽  
Periventricular White Matter ◽  
Brain White Matter

Background: We previously showed that overall brain white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV) was associated with accelerated long-term functional decline. However, it was unclear whether WMHV in particular brain regions was more predictive of decline. We hypothesized that WMHV in particular brain regions would be more predictive of functional decline. Methods: In the Northern Manhattan MRI study, participants had brain MRI with axial T1, T2, and fluid attenuated inversion recovery sequences, with baseline interview and examination. Volumetric WMHV distribution across 14 brain regions (brainstem, cerebellum, and bilateral frontal, occipital, temporal, and parietal lobes, and bilateral anterior and posterior periventricular white matter [PVWM]) was determined separately by combining bimodal image intensity distribution and atlas based methods. Participants had annual functional assessments with the Barthel index (BI, range 0-100) over a mean of 7.3 years and were followed for stroke and myocardial infarction (MI). Due to multiple collinear variables, lasso regression was used to select regional WMHV variables, and adjusted generalized estimating equations models estimated associations with baseline BI and change over time. Results: Among 1195 participants, mean age was 71 (SD 9) years, 460 (39%) were male, 802 (67%) had hypertension and 224 (19%) diabetes. Using lasso regularization, only right anterior PVWM was selected, and each SD increase was associated with accelerated functional decline, of -0.95 additional BI points per year (95% CI -1.20, -0.70) in an unadjusted model, -0.92 points per year (95% CI -1.18, -0.67) with baseline covariate adjustment, and -0.87 points per year (95% CI -1.12, -0.62) after adjusting for stroke and MI. This decline was in addition to a mean decline of -1.13 (95% CI -1.29, -0.97), -1.19 (95% CI -1.36, -1.01), and -1.04 (95% CI -1.21, -0.88) BI points per year, respectively. Conclusions: In this large population-based study with long-term repeated measures of function, periventricular WMHV was particularly associated with accelerated functional decline. Periventricular WMHV may have a greater effect on mobility due to dysfunction in descending leg motor tracts.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document