Research Articles
NeuroFlex® In Practice – A Case Study
The NeuroFlex® platform uses virtual reality technology to track head and eye movements, to scientifically determine whether a concussion has taken place, taking away the guess work. Results are combined with expert assessment and treatment, to accurately diagnose if a concussion is present, and develop a personalised recovery plan to facilitate safe return to the play.
Paediatric Concussion
Concussion Rates in School Sports
Dr Janesh P Ganda, Sports and Exercise Physician
It was recently estimated that 3.8 million recreation and sport related concussions occur annually in the United States (2).
A lack of a proper Injury tracker in youth sports (2), makes this number in accurate for concussions in the paediatrics population, however, highlights the need for school injury surveillance to be able to quantify concussions in this population group. Represents approximately 8.9% of all high school injuries in the USA. (3)
PERSISTENT EFFECTS OF PLAYING FOOTBALL AND ASSOCIATED (SUBCONCUSSIVE) HEAD TRAUMA ON BRAIN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION – A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
British Journal of Sports Medicine
There is ongoing controversy about persistent neurological deficits in active and former football (soccer) players. We reviewed the literature for associations between football activities (including heading/head-injuries) and decline in brain structure/function.
PERSISTENT EFFECTS OF PLAYING FOOTBALL AND ASSOCIATED (SUBCONCUSSIVE) HEAD TRAUMA ON BRAIN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION – A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
British Journal of Sports Medicine
There is ongoing controversy about persistent neurological deficits in active and former football (soccer) players. We reviewed the literature for associations between football activities (including heading/head-injuries) and decline in brain structure/function.
Long-term health outcomes after exposure to repeated concussion in elite level: rugby union players
T M McMillan,1 P McSkimming,2 J Wainman-Lefley,1 L M Maclean,1 J Hay,3 A McConnachie,2 W Stewart3,4
There is continuing concern about effects of concussion in athletes, including risk of the neurodegenerative disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy. However, information on long-term health and wellbeing in former athletes is limited.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is not a real disease
Christopher Randolph*
There was a long-lasting debate during the first half of the 1900s about whether boxers suffered from a condition called “dementia pugilistica”. This included arguments as to whether there was such a distinct clinical condition, whether it was static or progressive, and whether boxers were actually at any increased risk of any neurological issues at all.
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy-Like Abnormalities in a Routine Neuropathology Service
Shawna Noy, MD, Sherry Krawitz, MD, PhD, and Marc R. Del Bigio, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) has been described mainly in professional athletes and military personnel and is characterized by deposition of hyperphosphorylated tau at the depths of cortical sulci and around blood vessels. To assess CTE-like changes in a routine neuropathology service, we prospectively examined 111 brains (age 18–60 years).
An Exploratory Study of Mild Cognitive Impairment of Retired Professional Contact Sport Athletes
John G. Baker, PhD; John J. Leddy, MD; Andrea L. Hinds, PhD; Jennifer Shucard, BA; Tania Sharma, MS; Sergio Hernandez, MD; Joel Durinka, MD; Robert Zivadinov, MD; Barry S. Willer, PhD
To test the hypothesis that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) rates are higher among retired professional contact sport athletes than in noncontact athlete controls and compare history of contact sports with other MCI risk factors.
Multimodal Imaging of Retired Professional Contact Sport Athletes Does Not Provide Evidence of Structural and Functional Brain Damage
Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD; Paul Polak, MASc; Ferdinand Schweser, PhD; Niels Bergsland, PhD; Jesper Hagemeier, PhD; Michael G. Dwyer, PhD; Deepa P. Ramasamy, MD; John G. Baker, PhD; John J. Leddy, MD; Barry S. Willer, PhD
Long-term consequences of playing professional football and hockey on brain function and structural neuronal integrity are unknown.
Evaluation of Executive Function and Mental Health in Retired Contact Sport Athletes
Barry S. Willer, PhD; Michael Tiso, MD; Mohammad N. Haider, MD; Andrea L. Hinds, PhD; John G. Baker, PhD; Jeffery C. Miecznikowski, PhD; John J. Leddy, MD
To compare retired professional contact sport athletes with age-matched noncontact sport athletes on measures of executive function and mental health. Setting: The University Concussion Management Clinic.