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Advanced magnetic resonance imaging and neuropsychological assessment for detecting brain injury in a prospective cohort of university amateur boxers
- Source :
- NeuroImage: Clinical, Vol 15, Iss, Pp 194-199 (2017), NeuroImage : Clinical
- Publication Year :
- 2017
- Publisher :
- Elsevier, 2017.
-
Abstract
- Background/aim: The safety of amateur and professional boxing is a contentious issue. We hypothesised that advanced magnetic resonance imaging and neuropsychological testing could provide evidence of acute and early brain injury in amateur boxers. Methods: We recruited 30 participants from a university amateur boxing club in a prospective cohort study. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neuropsychological testing was performed at three time points: prior to starting training; within 48h following a first major competition to detect acute brain injury; and one year follow-up. A single MRI acquisition was made from control participants. Imaging analysis included cortical thickness measurements with Advanced Normalization Tools (ANTS) and FreeSurfer, voxel based morphometry (VBM), and Tract Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS). A computerized battery of neuropsychological tests was performed assessing attention, learning, memory and impulsivity. Results: During the study period, one boxer developed seizures controlled with medication while another developed a chronic subdural hematoma requiring neurosurgical drainage. A total of 10 boxers contributed data at to the longitudinal assessment protocol. Reasons for withdrawal were: logistics (10), stopping boxing (7), withdrawal of consent (2), and development of a chronic subdural hematoma (1). No significant changes were detected using VBM, TBSS, cortical thickness measured with FreeSurfer or ANTS, either cross-sectionally at baseline, or longitudinally. Neuropsychological assessment of boxers found attention/concentration improved over time while planning and problem solving ability latency decreased after a bout but recovered after one year. Conclusion: While this neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessment protocol could not detect any evidence of brain injury, one boxer developed seizures and another developed a chronic sub-dural haematoma. Keywords: Boxing, Neuroimaging, Brain structure, CANTAB
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
neuroimaging
Universities
brain structure
boxing
Regular Article
CANTAB
Neuropsychological Tests
lcsh:Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
lcsh:RC346-429
Young Adult
Brain Injuries
Athletic Injuries
Humans
lcsh:R858-859.7
Female
Prospective Studies
human activities
lcsh:Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 22131582
- Volume :
- 15
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- NeuroImage: Clinical
- Accession number :
- edsair.pmid.dedup....d8182479e40cf53d14fe5aa2eea6f627