Rubin Leah H, Tierney Ryan, Kawata Keisuke, Wesley Leroy, Lee Jong Hyun, Blennow Kaj, Zetterberg Henrik, Langford Dianne
a Department of Neurology , Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore , MD , USA.
b Department of Kinesiology, School of Public Health , Temple University , Philadelphia , PA , USA.
Brain Inj. 2019;33(4):456-462. doi: 10.1080/02699052.2019.1565895. Epub 2019 Jan 11.
Repetitive subconcussive head impacts in contact/collision sports such as in US football are believed to contribute to long-term brain changes and chronic symptoms. However, the lack of tools to measure the effects of repeated subconcussion limits our understanding of potential contributions to neuropathological alterations including cellular damage.
We examined subconcussive head impacts using an accelerometer-embedded mouthguard on changes in blood levels of neurofilament light (NFL) chain in 18 Division I college football players. Plasma levels of NFL and clinical symptoms were assessed at pre-post practices. The frequency and linear and rotational head accelerations recorded via the mouthguard were examined in relation to NFL plasma changes.
The frequency and magnitude of head impacts associated with increased NFL levels. The greater numbers of hits and head accelerations associated with greater pre- to post-practice NFL level increases (p < 0.05). Greater pre- to post-practice increases in NFL also associated with greater pre- to post-practice increases in S100β (p < 0.001), but not with total tau. Years of football experience and concussion history did not associate with changes in NFL.
Acute changes in NFL may be a clinically useful peripheral marker in tracking acute brain damage in collegiate football players, and other contact sports.
在美国橄榄球等接触性/碰撞性运动中，重复性轻度脑震荡头部撞击被认为会导致长期脑部变化和慢性症状。然而，缺乏测量反复轻度脑震荡影响的工具限制了我们对包括细胞损伤在内的神经病理改变潜在影响的理解。
我们使用嵌入加速度计的护齿器检查了18名美国大学体育协会一级联赛的大学橄榄球运动员的轻度脑震荡头部撞击对神经丝轻链（NFL）血液水平变化的影响。在训练前后评估NFL的血浆水平和临床症状。检查通过护齿器记录的头部撞击频率以及线性和旋转加速度与NFL血浆变化的关系。
与NFL水平升高相关的头部撞击频率和强度。撞击次数和头部加速度越多，训练前到训练后NFL水平升高越大（p < 0.05）。训练前到训练后NFL的更大升高也与训练前到训练后S100β的更大升高相关（p < 0.001），但与总tau无关。橄榄球运动年限和脑震荡病史与NFL的变化无关。
NFL的急性变化可能是追踪大学橄榄球运动员及其他接触性运动中急性脑损伤的一种临床上有用的外周标志物。
