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In Vivo Protocol of Controlled Subconcussive Head Impacts for the Validation of Field Study Data

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Professional fighters brain health study: rationale and methods.

Charles Bernick¹, Sarah Banks, Michael Phillips

¹Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888West Bonneville Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89106, USA. bernicc@ccf.org

American Journal of Epidemiology

|June 6, 2013

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Professional Fighters Brain Health Study investigates head trauma in combat sports. A new exposure index shows promise for predicting brain changes and cognitive function decline in boxers and mixed martial artists.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Sports Medicine
Neurology

Background:

Repetitive head trauma is linked to Alzheimer's disease and is the primary cause of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Limited understanding exists regarding the natural history, risk factors, and early detection/intervention for CTE.
The Professional Fighters Brain Health Study (PFBHS) addresses these knowledge gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine relationships between head trauma exposure and changes in brain imaging, neurological function, and behavioral function over time.
To identify potential modifiers of these changes.
To develop and validate statistical models for predicting early and progressive brain changes.

Main Methods:

Longitudinal study over 5 years with over 400 active/retired professional fighters and matched controls.

Keywords:

boxing chronic traumatic encephalopathy mixed martial arts traumatic brain injury

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Annual evaluations including 3-tesla MRI, cognitive assessments, speech analysis, mood/impulsivity surveys, and blood sampling.

Development of a composite fight exposure index to quantify cumulative traumatic exposure.

Main Results:

A composite fight exposure index demonstrates potential as a predictor of brain volumes and cognitive function.
Established methodology for longitudinal assessment of brain health in combat athletes.
Identified key metrics for tracking neurodegenerative changes.

Conclusions:

The composite fight exposure index is a promising tool for assessing CTE risk.
Longitudinal studies are crucial for understanding the progression of brain injury in combat sports.
Further research is needed to refine predictive models and develop interventions for CTE.