title: APOE, APOE promoter, and Tau genotypes and risk for concussion in college athletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate associations of APOE, APOE promoter (G-219T), and tau protein exon 6 polymorphisms (47 and 53) and a history of self-reported concussion in college athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multi-center cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male football and male and female soccer programs at the University of South Carolina, Jacksonville University, Benedict College, and the College of Charleston.
  
  
  METHODS
  Active 18- to 30-year-old (n = 195) intercollegiate male football players and male and female soccer players during 2001 and 2002.
  
  
  METHODS
  Written questionnaires and blood or mouthwash samples for DNA for genotyping by RFLP/PCR.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-reported history of concussions over the previous 8 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistically significant, nearly 3-fold increase in risk of a history of concussion for those with the APOE promoter G-219T TT genotype relative to the GG genotype (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.1 to 6.9) adjusted for age, sport, school, and years in their primary sport, a finding that was stronger for Cantu grade 2 and 3 concussions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that college athletes with an APOE promoter G-219T TT genotype may be at increased risk for having a history of concussions, especially more severe concussions. Although there was some support for the possibility that the tau 53 polymorphism may be associated with increased risk of prior concussion (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 0.3 to 14.5), there was no support for an association with APOE genotypes. The results of this cross-sectional study support the need for a prospective study of genetic factors, such as APOE promoter polymorphisms, and the incidence of and sequelae from concussions in college athletes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27834, USA. tomterrell@earthlink.net
authors.forename: Thomas Roland
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Terrell
authors.forename: Roberd M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bostick
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abramson
authors.forename: Dawen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Barfield
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cantu
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stanek
authors.forename: Trina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ewing
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013022:South Carolina; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D016875:tau Proteins