Abstract #1068
Evidence of Altered Brain Chemistry After Repetitive Subconcussive Head Impacts
Alexander Peter Lin 1,2 , Marc Muehlmann 2,3 , Sai Merugumala 1 , Huijun Vicky Liao 1 , Tyler Starr 1 , David Kaufmann 3 , Michael Mayinger 2,3 , Denise Steffinger 3 , Barbara Fisch 3 , Susanne Karch 3 , Florian Heinen 3 , Birgit Ertl-Wagner 3 , Maximilian Reiser 3 , Robert A. Stern 4 , Ross Zafonte 5 , Martha Shenton 2,6 , and Inga K Koerte 2,3
1
Center for Clinical Spectroscopy, Brigham
and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States,
2
Psychiatry
Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital,
Boston, MA, United States,
3
Ludwig-Maximilian-University,
Munich, Germany,
4
Boston
University Alzheimers Disease Center, Boston University
School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States,
5
Spaulding
Rehabilitation Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital,
Boston, MA, United States,
6
VA
Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
Repeatedly heading the ball may place soccer players at
high risk for repetitive subconcussive head impacts
(RSHI). This study evaluates the long-term effects of
RSHI on neurochemistry in former professional soccer
players in comparison to gender-matched former
non-contact sport athletes. In the soccer players, a
significant increase was observed in both, choline, a
membrane marker, and myo-inositol, a marker of glial
activation, compared to control athletes. Myo-inositol
and glutathione were significantly correlated with
lifetime estimate of RSHI. Results suggest an
association between RSHI in soccer players and MRS
markers of neuroinflammation and the consequences of
subconcussive head impacts.
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