Increased brain age and relationships with blood-based biomarkers following concussion in younger populations. J Neurol 2023 Dec;270(12):5835-5848
Date
08/18/2023Pubmed ID
37594499Pubmed Central ID
PMC10632216DOI
10.1007/s00415-023-11931-8Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85168381808 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Brain age is increasingly being applied to the spectrum of brain injury to define neuropathological changes in conjunction with blood-based biomarkers. However, data from the acute/sub-acute stages of concussion are lacking, especially among younger cohorts.
METHODS: Predicted brain age differences were independently calculated in large, prospectively recruited cohorts of pediatric concussion and matched healthy controls (total N = 446), as well as collegiate athletes with sport-related concussion and matched non-contact sport controls (total N = 184). Effects of repetitive head injury (i.e., exposure) were examined in a separate cohort of contact sport athletes (N = 82), as well as by quantifying concussion history through semi-structured interviews and years of contact sport participation.
RESULTS: Findings of increased brain age during acute and sub-acute concussion were independently replicated across both cohorts, with stronger evidence of recovery for pediatric (4 months) relative to concussed athletes (6 months). Mixed evidence existed for effects of repetitive head injury, as brain age was increased in contact sport athletes, but was not associated with concussion history or years of contact sport exposure. There was no difference in brain age between concussed and contact sport athletes. Total tau decreased immediately (~ 1.5 days) post-concussion relative to the non-contact group, whereas pro-inflammatory markers were increased in both concussed and contact sport athletes. Anti-inflammatory markers were inversely related to brain age, whereas markers of axonal injury (neurofilament light) exhibited a trend positive association.
CONCLUSION: Current and previous findings collectively suggest that the chronicity of brain age differences may be mediated by age at injury (adults > children), with preliminary findings suggesting that exposure to contact sports may also increase brain age.
Author List
Mayer AR, Meier TB, Ling JM, Dodd AB, Brett BL, Robertson-Benta CR, Huber DL, Van der Horn HJ, Broglio SP, McCrea MA, McAllister TAuthors
Benjamin Brett PhD Assistant Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of WisconsinMichael McCrea PhD Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Timothy B. Meier PhD Associate Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultAthletes
Athletic Injuries
Biomarkers
Brain
Brain Concussion
Child
Head
Humans
Infant
