Abstract #0872

Absolute quantification of resting oxygen metabolism and cerebral physiology following acute exposure to repeated sub-concussive collisions: A calibrated MRI approach

ALLEN A. CHAMPAGNE¹, NICOLE S. COVERDALE¹, MIKE GERMUSKA², and DOUGLAS J. COOK^1,3

¹Centre of Neuroscience studies at Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada, ²Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, Cardiff, United Kingdom, ³Department of Surgery at Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada

Athletes involved in collision sports can sustain up to ~1400 head impacts, within a single season. In this study, we explore the physiological nature of sub-concussive impacts using a calibrated MRI method, which combines hypercapnic and hyperoxic breathing manipulations. Collegiate football players were scanned at pre-season baseline and following three weeks of practices and one game. Relative to baseline, we observed global increased resting oxygen extraction fraction (OEF₀) and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen consumption (CMRO_2|0) in the grey-matter, with significant differences found within the frontal lobe (P<0.05). These results emphasize the need to regulate exposure to head impacts in sports.

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