Young athletes with history of concussions may have more changes to
their brains
Study finds changes in brain blood flow and microstructure

Date:
August 25, 2021
Source:
American Academy of Neurology
Summary:
A new study suggests athletes with a history of concussion may
show more brain injury from a later concussion, particularly in
middle regions of the brain that are more susceptible to damage,
when compared to athletes with no history of concussion.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A new study suggests athletes with a history of concussion may show more
brain injury from a later concussion, particularly in middle regions of
the brain that are more susceptible to damage, when compared to athletes
with no history of concussion. The research is published in the August 25, 2021, online issue of Neurology(R), the medical journal of the American
Academy of Neurology. The athletes participated in sports like football, volleyball and soccer.


==========================================================================
"We know concussions may have long-term effects on the brain that last
beyond getting a doctor's clearance to return to play," said study author
Tom A.

Schweizer, PhD, of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, Canada. "It is
unclear, however, to what extent the effects of repeated concussion
can be detected among young, otherwise healthy adults. We found even
though there was no difference in symptoms or the amount of recovery
time, athletes with a history of concussion showed subtle and chronic
changes in their brains." This study focused on changes within two
areas in the middle of the brain that are especially vulnerable to
concussion. Researchers focused on blood flow in the cingulate cortex
and white matter microstructure in the corpus callosum.

Changes in blood flow and microstructure that show up on brain scans can indicate underlying brain injury. The cingulate cortex is a layer of gray matter that coordinates sensory and motor skills. Below it is the corpus callosum, a broad band of nerve fibers linking the two hemispheres of
the brain.

The study looked at 228 athletes with an average age of 20. This included
61 with a recent concussion and 167 without. Within the first group, 36
had a history of concussion. Within the second group, 73 had a history
of concussion.

Researchers took up to five brain scans of each recently concussed
athlete, from time of injury to one year after returning to play.

Researchers found that one year after a recent concussion, athletes with
a history of concussion had sharper declines in blood flow within one area
of the cingulate compared to those without a history of concussions. Those
with a history of concussion had an average cerebral blood flow of 40 milliliters (mL) per minute, per 100 grams (g) of brain tissue. Those
without a history of concussion had an average cerebral blood flow of
53 mL per minute, per 100g of brain tissue.

In athletes with a history of concussion, in the weeks after a new
concussion, researchers also found microstructural changes in a region
of the brain called the splenium, which is part of the corpus callosum.

"Our findings suggest that an athlete with a history of concussion
should be watched closely, as these subtle brain changes may be worsened
by repeated injury," said Schweizer. "Additionally, our results should
raise concern about the cumulative effects of repeated head injuries
later in life." A limitation of the study is that athletes reported
their own histories of concussion and could be inaccurate. Further
research is needed that would follow athletes over time.

The study was supported by Canadian Institutes of Health Research,
the Canadian Institute for Military and Veterans Health Research and
Siemens Healthineers Canada.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by American_Academy_of_Neurology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Nathan W Churchill, Michael G Hutchison, Simon J Graham, Tom
A Schweizer.

Acute and Chronic Effects of Multiple Concussions on Midline Brain
Structures. Neurology, 2021; 10.1212/WNL.0000000000012580 DOI:
10.1212/ WNL.0000000000012580 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210825163648.htm

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