title: Thinner Cortex in Collegiate Football Players With, but not Without, a Self-Reported History of Concussion.
abstract: Emerging evidence suggests that a history of sports-related concussions can lead to long-term neuroanatomical changes. The extent to which similar changes are present in young athletes is undetermined at this time. Here, we tested the hypothesis that collegiate football athletes with (n = 25) and without (n = 24) a self-reported history of concussion would have cortical thickness differences and altered white matter integrity relative to healthy controls (n = 27) in fronto-temporal regions that appear particularly susceptible to traumatic brain injury. Freesurfer software was used to estimate cortical thickness, fractional anisotropy was calculated in a priori white matter tracts, and behavior was assessed using a concussion behavioral battery. Groups did not differ in self-reported symptoms (p > 0.10) or cognitive performance (p > 0.10). Healthy controls reported significantly higher happiness levels than both football groups (all p < 0.01). Contrary to our hypothesis, no differences in fractional anisotropy were observed between our groups (p > 0.10). However, football athletes with a history of concussion had significantly thinner cortex in the left anterior cingulate cortex, orbital frontal cortex, and medial superior frontal cortex relative to healthy controls (p = 0.02, d = -0.69). Further, football athletes with a history of concussion had significantly thinner cortex in the right central sulcus and precentral gyrus relative to football athletes without a history of concussion (p = 0.03, d = -0.71). No differences were observed between football athletes without a history of concussion and healthy controls. These results suggest that previous concussions, but not necessarily football exposure, may be associated with cortical thickness differences in collegiate football athletes.
authors.affiliation: 1 The Mind Research Network/Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute , Albuquerque, New Mexico .|2 Laureate Institute for Brain Research , Tulsa, Oklahoma.
authors.forename: Timothy B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.affiliation: 3 National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Health , North Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Patrick S F
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Bellgowan
authors.affiliation: 2 Laureate Institute for Brain Research , Tulsa, Oklahoma.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bergamino
authors.affiliation: 1 The Mind Research Network/Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute , Albuquerque, New Mexico .
authors.forename: Josef M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.affiliation: 1 The Mind Research Network/Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute , Albuquerque, New Mexico .|4 Neurology Department, University of New Mexico School of Medicine , Albuquerque, New Mexico .|5 Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico , Albuquerque, New Mexico .
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mayer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057566:Self Report; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: anterior cingulate; concussion; cortical thickness; football; fractional anisotropy