Abstracts of Recent Papers

Weight and age interact to modify cognitive effects of head acceleration events (HAE) after two seasons of youth football. Preprint

Arthur Maerlender; Eric Smith; Per G. Brolinson; Jillian Urban; Amaris Ajamil; Steven Rowson; Joel Stitzel; Stefan Duma; Joseph Crisco; Richard M. Greenwald.

Abstract

This is a follow-up study of youth American football players in a second season of play. Season-one findings identified a relationship between a head acceleration measure (HITsp) and cognitive score changes with weight modifying the effect in 9 to 10 year-olds. Sixty-eight youth completed a second season of play wearing helmet-mounted sensors and were assessed with neuropsychological tests pre- and post-season. Regression analysis of the full sample demonstrated a small but significant negative effect of HAE on cognition as indexed by test score changes: R² = .06, F = 4.06, p = .024. Outcome differences between those who started playing at ages nine to 10, compared to those who started between 11 and 13 were identified: t(66) = -3.39, p<.01, d = -.84, 95^th CI -2.77 to -.72. Regression models including players’ weights found that the relationship of weight to outcome was different by group: greater negative cognitive effects were found in younger-heavier players (R^{2 =} 0.21, F =3.21,  p = 0.03) and older-lighter players (R² =0.18, F =4.26, p <.001). These findings confirmed a negative relationship of HAE and cognitive change and point to player weight as an important developmental factor to consider in understanding concussion biomechanics.

Concussion-related disruptions to hub connectivity in the default mode network are related to symptoms and cognition. Journal of Neurotrauma, In Press 2023

Heather C. Bouchard^1,2, Kate L. Higgins^1,3, Grace K. Amadon^1,4, Julia M. Laing-Young^1,2, Arthur Maerlender¹, Seima Al‑Momani^1,2, Maital Neta^1,2, Cary R. Savage^1,2, & Douglas H. Schultz^1,2