Pysch-Unit3-SportRelatedHeadInjuries

Twisting/deceleration of acting on nerves causes

dysfunction

Mild traumatic brain injury

sport

Traumatic brain injury

car crash

Heterogenous

lots of variability

Concutere

Latin

Shake violently

Concussions are heterogenous brain injuries induced by

biomechanical forces to the head

Common signs and symptoms following a head injury

• Early (minutes to hours)

Dizziness

Headaches

Vomiting and Postural instability (signs)

Common signs and symptoms following a head injury

• Late (days to weeks)

Persistant headache

Reduced attention/memory

Sensitivity to noise

Sleep/wake disturbances

Sign

Objective (can see it)

• Hit and then vomits or walks weird

Symptom

Self reported (can feel it)

• Feels nasueous, dizzy

What sport had the most TBIs/ER visits?

Cycling and football

• Does NOT account/adjust for exposure (how many hours they played)

Concussion prevalence

Falls (older) > road accidents (teens) > physical activities/sports

The greatest risk for sport related concussion in the general population is

youth aged 10-19

From 2001-2009,

2.7 million kids (age <19) were treated in the ER

6.5% were TBIs

College sport induced concussions in U.S

Data comes from very large studies (million exposures)

Womens hockey (highest)

Football

Soccer

Do guys or girls have a higher rate of concussions?

Girls have a higher rate of concussions

• Anatomy/strength of neck

• Girls are more likely to report

Major risk factors for sport concussions

1) Concussion history

2) Type of sport

3) Technique

4) Playing position

5) Game vs. practice

6) Exposure time

7) Biological sex

Major risk factors for sport concussions

1) Concussion history

Higher risk with prior concussion

Major risk factors for sport concussions

2) Type of sport

Contact sports (highest risk with hockey and football)

Major risk factors for sport concussions

3) Technique

Higher risk with spearing

Major risk factors for sport concussions

4) Playing position

Higher risk for running and defensive backs, wide receievers

• Lineman = highest cumulative sub-concussive exposures

Major risk factors for sport concussions

5) Game vs. practice

Higher risk during competitions

Major risk factors for sport concussions

6) Exposure time

Higher risk with more time playing (game and practice)

Major risk factors for sport concussions

7) Biological sex

Higher risk for female vs. males within the same sport

Cell bodies are more stable than

axons

• Damage is often to the axons or glial cells (causes dysfunction, dysregulation of cells/ion channels)

  • Increase in intracellular K and Ca

S100B

Ca+ binding protein

• Only in brain (glial cells)

• Elevation in peripiphery post concussion

Localized inflammation where

damage occured

Mechanisms of concussion effects based on rodents

• Ionic pump activity increases to try to

maintain homeostasis

• Results in increased need for glucose for pumping

Fruit fly concussion study

Stuns all flies, kills some

Parallel genes for fruit flies and humans

Genome wide association study

Sugar dysregulation

• Ketogenic diet BEFORE concussion = better outcomes

Fruit fly concussion study - findings

Gene variants that best predict flys that died vs. lived were making proteins that made cells involved in the structural integrity of both the intestines and blood brain barrier

Antiobiotics did NOT reduce death, reducing glucose did

Psychophysiolgical consequences

• Short term effects (days/weeks)

Symptoms

Cognitive performance

Sleep

Psychophysiological consequences

• Longer term effects (months/years)

Neurophysiological (EEG)

Mood

Cognitive