Huang Wenjing, Yan Jiahao, Zheng Yu, Wang Jun, Hu Wanjun, Zhang Jing
Department of Magnetic Resonance, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China.
Gansu Province Clinical Research Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging, Lanzhou, China.
J Neurotrauma. 2025 Jan;42(1-2):33-45. doi: 10.1089/neu.2024.0015. Epub 2024 Oct 22.
The existing research on the microstructural alterations associated with sport-related concussions (SRCs) has primarily focused on deep white matter (DWM) fibers, while the impact of SRCs on the superficial white matter (SWM) and gray matter (GM) remains unknown. This study aimed to characterize the altered metrics obtained from neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) in boxers with SRCs, and thereby determine whether distinct regional patterns of microstructural alterations can offer valuable insights for accurate diagnosis and prognosis. Concussed boxers ( = 56) and healthy controls (HCs) with typically developing ( = 72) underwent comprehensive neuropsychological assessment and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations. The tract-based spatial statistics approach was used to investigate alterations in the DWM and SWM, while the gray matter-based spatial statistics approach was used to examine changes in the GM. The median time from the last SRC to MRI in the SRC group was 33.5 days (interquartile range, 45.25). In comparison with HCs, the SRC group exhibited lower fractional anisotropy (FA), neurite density index (NDI), and isotropic volume fraction (ISOVF), as well as higher mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity in both the DWM and SWM. Moreover, the SRC group exhibited lower FA, NDI, orientation dispersion index, and ISOVF in the GM, as well as higher AD. The altered microstructure of both gray and white matter was found to be associated with deficits in working memory and vocabulary memory among boxers. In addition to characterizing the DWM impairment, NODDI further elucidated the effects of SRCs on the microstructure of GM and SWM, offering a reliable imaging biomarker for SRC diagnosis and shedding light on the pathophysiological changes underlying SRCs.
现有关于与运动相关脑震荡（SRC）相关的微观结构改变的研究主要集中在深部白质（DWM）纤维上，而SRC对浅表白质（SWM）和灰质（GM）的影响仍不清楚。本研究旨在表征从患有SRC的拳击手的神经突方向分散和密度成像（NODDI）获得的改变指标，从而确定微观结构改变的不同区域模式是否可为准确诊断和预后提供有价值的见解。患有脑震荡的拳击手（n = 56）和发育正常的健康对照（HCs，n = 72）接受了全面的神经心理学评估和磁共振成像（MRI）检查。基于束的空间统计学方法用于研究DWM和SWM的改变，而基于灰质的空间统计学方法用于检查GM的变化。SRC组中从上一次SRC到MRI的中位时间为33.5天（四分位间距，45.25）。与HCs相比，SRC组在DWM和SWM中均表现出较低的分数各向异性（FA）、神经突密度指数（NDI）和各向同性体积分数（ISOVF），以及较高的平均扩散率、轴向扩散率（AD）和径向扩散率。此外，SRC组在GM中表现出较低的FA、NDI、方向分散指数和ISOVF，以及较高的AD。发现灰质和白质的微观结构改变与拳击手的工作记忆和词汇记忆缺陷有关。除了表征DWM损伤外，NODDI进一步阐明了SRC对GM和SWM微观结构的影响，为SRC诊断提供了可靠的成像生物标志物，并揭示了SRC潜在的病理生理变化。
