Lewis Gwyn N, Hume Patria A, Stavric Verna, Brown Scott R, Taylor Denise
Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland.
Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland.
N Z Med J. 2017 Jan 13;130(1448):34-44.
Rugby union is a high contact sport in which players frequently experience brain injuries. Acute brain injury is associated with altered corticomotor function. However, it is uncertain if long-term exposure to rugby is associated with any alterations in corticomotor function. The aim of the study was to assess measures of corticomotor excitability and inhibition in retired rugby players in comparison to retired non-contact sport players.
The design was a cross-sectional study with three groups of retired athletes: elite rugby (n=23), community level rugby (n=28) and non-contact sport control (n=22). Assessments of corticomotor excitability were made using transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Resting motor threshold was significantly higher and long-interval intracortical inhibition was greater in the elite rugby group compared to the control group. Participants in the two rugby groups had sustained significantly more concussions than the control group.
We provide some evidence of altered corticomotor excitation and inhibition in retired elite rugby players in comparison to retired non-contact sport players. Given the absence of findings in the community rugby group, who had experienced a similar number of concussions, the association with previous brain injury is unclear.
英式橄榄球联盟是一项高对抗性运动，运动员经常遭受脑损伤。急性脑损伤与皮质运动功能改变有关。然而，长期从事橄榄球运动是否与皮质运动功能的任何改变相关尚不确定。本研究的目的是评估退役橄榄球运动员与退役非接触性运动运动员相比的皮质运动兴奋性和抑制性指标。
该研究设计为横断面研究，有三组退役运动员：精英橄榄球组（n = 23）、社区水平橄榄球组（n = 28）和非接触性运动对照组（n = 22）。使用经颅磁刺激对皮质运动兴奋性进行评估。
与对照组相比，精英橄榄球组的静息运动阈值显著更高，长时程皮质内抑制更强。两个橄榄球组的参与者遭受脑震荡的次数明显多于对照组。
我们提供了一些证据，表明与退役非接触性运动运动员相比，退役精英橄榄球运动员的皮质运动兴奋和抑制发生了改变。鉴于在经历了相似脑震荡次数的社区橄榄球组中未发现相关结果，与既往脑损伤的关联尚不清楚。
