Gardner Andrew J, Iverson Grant L, Wojtowicz Magdalena, Levi Christopher R, Kay-Lambkin Frances, Schofield Peter W, Zafonte Ross, Shultz Sandy R, Lin Alexander P, Stanwell Peter
Centre for Translational Neuroscience & Mental Health, School of Medicine & Public Health, University of Newcastle, Waratah, Australia.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.
Int J Sports Med. 2017 Mar;38(3):241-252. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-120843. Epub 2017 Feb 13.
The aim of this study was to examine brain neurometabolite concentrations in retired rugby league players who had a history of numerous self-reported concussions. Participants were 16 retired professional rugby league players (ages 30-45 years) with an extensive history of concussion and participation in contact sports, and 16 age- and education-matched controls who had no history of neurotrauma or participation in contact sports. All completed a clinical interview, psychological and cognitive testing, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) investigation. MRS voxels were placed in posterior cingulate grey matter and parietal white matter. Neurometabolite concentrations were quantified using LCModel. It was hypothesized that retired athletes would differ on N-acetyl aspartate, myo-inositol, choline, glutamate, and glutathione. Retired players had significantly lower concentrations of grey matter glutathione (p=0.02, d=0.91). They did not significantly differ in concentrations of other neurometabolites. There were no significant differences between groups on measures of depression, anxiety, or cognitive functioning. The retired athletes reported significantly greater alcohol use (p<0.01; Cohen's d=1.49), and they had worse manual dexterity using their non-dominant hand (p=0.03; d=1.08). These preliminary findings suggest that MRS might be modestly sensitive to biochemical differences in athletes after their athletic careers have ended in the absence of clinical differences in cognitive performance and self-reported psychological functioning.
本研究的目的是检测有多次自我报告脑震荡病史的退役橄榄球联盟球员的脑内神经代谢物浓度。研究对象包括16名退役职业橄榄球联盟球员（年龄在30 - 45岁之间），他们有广泛的脑震荡病史且曾参与接触性运动，以及16名年龄和教育程度匹配的对照者，这些对照者没有神经创伤史或参与接触性运动的经历。所有参与者均完成了临床访谈、心理和认知测试以及磁共振波谱（MRS）检查。MRS体素放置在后扣带回灰质和顶叶白质中。使用LCModel对神经代谢物浓度进行定量分析。研究假设退役运动员在N - 乙酰天门冬氨酸、肌醇、胆碱、谷氨酸和谷胱甘肽方面会存在差异。退役球员的灰质谷胱甘肽浓度显著较低（p = 0.02，d = 0.91）。他们在其他神经代谢物浓度方面没有显著差异。在抑郁、焦虑或认知功能测量方面，两组之间没有显著差异。退役运动员报告的饮酒量显著更高（p < 0.01；Cohen's d = 1.49），并且他们非优势手的手部灵活性较差（p = 0.03；d = 1.08）。这些初步研究结果表明，在运动员运动生涯结束后，磁共振波谱可能对其生化差异有一定的敏感性，而此时认知表现和自我报告的心理功能并无临床差异。
