title: Neuronal structural protein polymorphism and concussion in college athletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association between a neuronal structural protein polymorphism and the frequency and severity of concussions in college athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight athletes with previous self-reported history of a concussion were matched with 48 controls that did not report a history of concussion. Each group was genotyped for neurofilament heavy (NEFH) polymorphism rs#165602 in this retrospective case-control study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant association (χ(2 )= 0.487, p = 0.485) between carrying the NEFH rare allele and a history of one or more concussions due to small effect sizes. A Fisher's exact test revealed no significant association (p = 1.00, ϕ = -0.03) between the presence of NEFH rare allele and a history of multiple concussions. The independent t-tests revealed no significant differences in duration of signs and symptoms (t = 1.41, p = 0.17, d = 0.48) or return to play (t = 0.23, p = 0.82, d = 0.08) between NEFH rare allele carrier and non-carriers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among college athletes, carrying the rare allele assessed may not influence an athlete's susceptibility to sustaining a concussion or return to play duration following a concussion.
authors: Department of Kinesiology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA. jane.mcdevitt@temple.edu
authors: Jane K
authors: JK
authors: McDevitt
authors: Ryan T
authors: RT
authors: Tierney
authors: Jamie L
authors: JL
authors: Mansell
authors: Jeffrey B
authors: JB
authors: Driban
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Higgins
authors: Nieka
authors: N
authors: Toone
authors: Anarug
authors: A
authors: Mishra
authors: Evgeny
authors: E
authors: Krynetskiy
mesh_terms: D056352:Athletes; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D013334:Students; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D055815:Young Adult