Disruption of function: Neurophysiological markers of cognitive deficits in retired football players

Kyle I Ruiter; Rober Boshra; Mitchell Doughty; Michael Noseworthy; John F Connolly

doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2018.10.013

Disruption of function: Neurophysiological markers of cognitive deficits in retired football players

Clin Neurophysiol. 2019 Jan;130(1):111-121. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2018.10.013. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Authors

Kyle I Ruiter¹, Rober Boshra², Mitchell Doughty³, Michael Noseworthy⁴, John F Connolly⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Linguistics and Languages, McMaster University, Togo Salmon Hall 513, 1280 Main Street, West Hamilton, ON L8S 4M2, Canada; ARiEAL Research Centre, McMaster University, L.R. Wilson Hall, 1280 Main Street, West Hamilton, ON L8S 4M2, Canada. Electronic address: ruiterki@mcmaster.ca.
² ARiEAL Research Centre, McMaster University, L.R. Wilson Hall, 1280 Main Street, West Hamilton, ON L8S 4M2, Canada; School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, ETB-406, 1280 Main St., West Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada; MaRS Centre, Vector Institute, Canada. Electronic address: boshrar@mcmaster.ca.
³ School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, ETB-406, 1280 Main St., West Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada. Electronic address: doughtmw@mcmaster.ca.
⁴ ARiEAL Research Centre, McMaster University, L.R. Wilson Hall, 1280 Main Street, West Hamilton, ON L8S 4M2, Canada; School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, ETB-406, 1280 Main St., West Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada. Electronic address: nosewor@mcmaster.ca.
⁵ Department of Linguistics and Languages, McMaster University, Togo Salmon Hall 513, 1280 Main Street, West Hamilton, ON L8S 4M2, Canada; ARiEAL Research Centre, McMaster University, L.R. Wilson Hall, 1280 Main Street, West Hamilton, ON L8S 4M2, Canada; School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, ETB-406, 1280 Main St., West Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada; MaRS Centre, Vector Institute, Canada; McMaster University, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, Canada. Electronic address: jconnol@mcmaster.ca.

PMID: 30522024
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2018.10.013

Abstract

Objective: Recent studies demonstrate that sports-related concussions can have negative consequences on long-term brain health. The goal of the present study was to determine whether retired Canadian Football League (CFL) athletes with a history of concussions exhibit alterations in neurocognitive functioning, along with changes in physical, social, and psychological health.

Methods: Our study compared nineteen retired CFL athletes' concussion histories to eighteen healthy age-matched controls with no history of concussion. Self-report inventories were used to assess depression, memory, attention, and general health. Neurophysiological markers of cognitive function were evaluated with event-related brain potentials (ERPs) as measured in two protocols: (1) A Mismatch Negativity (MMN) protocol for assessing the automatic early attentional brain mechanism; and, (2) a P300 auditory oddball task for assessing consciously controlled attention.

Results: Relative to controls, CFL players exhibited: response delays and reduced amplitudes in neurophysiological responses; overall decreases in cognitive function; and poorer scores on self-reports of physical, social, and psychological health; reflecting problems in all three categories.

Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that multiple concussions sustained over several years can lead to altered cognitive and psychosocial function.

Significance: Neurophysiological markers of conscious and pre-conscious attention provide an objective assessment for evaluating long-term cognitive consequences of concussion.

Keywords: Behavioral assessment; Concussion; EEG; Event-related potentials; Football; mTBI.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Athletes / psychology
Brain Concussion / diagnosis*
Brain Concussion / epidemiology
Brain Concussion / physiopathology
Brain Concussion / psychology
Canada / epidemiology
Cognition / physiology*
Cognition Disorders / diagnosis*
Cognition Disorders / epidemiology
Cognition Disorders / physiopathology
Cognition Disorders / psychology
Electroencephalography / methods
Event-Related Potentials, P300 / physiology
Football / injuries*
Football / physiology*
Football / psychology
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Retirement* / psychology