Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 20, 2026
Combined Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Electroencephalography of the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex
Published on: August 17, 2018
N-Acetyl-Aspartate in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Long After Concussion in Youth
Frank P MacMaster1, Quinn McLellan, Ashley D Harris
1Department of Pediatrics (Drs MacMaster, Barlow, Yeates, and Brooks), Department of Psychiatry (Dr MacMaster), Department of Neuroscience (Mr McLellan), Department of Radiology (Dr Harris), Department of Clinical Neurosciences (Drs Barlow, Yeates, and Brooks), Department of Psychology (Dr Langevin, Yeates, and Brooks), Faculty of Kinesiology (Mr Virani), Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (Drs Harris, Barlow, Langevin, Yeates, Brooks and Mr Virani), and Hotchkiss Brain Institute (Drs Harris and Yeates), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Strategic Clinical Network for Addictions and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (Dr MacMaster); Neuropsychology Service, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (Mr Virani and Dr Brooks); and Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, New South Wales, Australia (Dr Barlow).
Objective:
Despite increasing interest in the neurobiological effects of concussion in youth, a paucity of information is available regarding outcomes long after injury. The objective of this study was to determine the association between a history of concussion and the putative neuronal marker N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in youth.
Setting:
Outpatient clinic in a children's hospital.
Participants:
Youth with concussion (N = 35, mean = 2.63, SD = 1.07 years postinjury) and youth with a nonconcussive orthopedic injury (N = 17) participated.
Design:
A cross-sectional proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-MRS) study.
Main Measures:
The primary outcome measure was NAA concentration in the right and left DLPFCs.
Results:
We observed lower levels of NAA in the right DLPFC in youth with past concussion (F = 3.31, df = 4,51, P = .018) than in orthopedic controls but not in the left DLPFC (F = 2.04, df = 4,51, P = .105). The effect of lower NAA concentrations in the right DLPFC was primarily driven by youth with a single prior concussion versus those with multiple concussions. NAA in the left DLPFC, but not in right DLPFC, was associated with worse emotional symptoms in youth with concussion.
Conclusion:
The presence of lower levels of DLPFC NAA suggests potential association of concussion in youth, although further investigation is needed, given that the result is driven by those with a single (and not multiple) concussion. Exploration of applying MRS in other brain regions is also warranted.
Related Concept Videos
07:42Combined Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Electroencephalography of the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex
04:31Combined Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Electroencephalography of the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex
10:31A Multi-Modal Approach to Assessing Recovery in Youth Athletes Following Concussion
13:20Online Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Dorsomedial and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Cognition Decision Making, and Cognitive Dissonance
07:02An Investigation of the Effects of Sports-related Concussion in Youth Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and the Head Impact Telemetry System
05:48Autonomic Function Following Concussion in Youth Athletes: An Exploration of Heart Rate Variability Using 24-hour Recording Methodology