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Brain Perfusion Bridges Virtual-Reality Spatial Behavior to TPH2 Genotype for Head Acceleration Events
Yufen Chen1, Amy A Herrold2,3, Alexa E Walter4
1Center for Translational Imaging, Department of Radiology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Journal of Neurotrauma
|January 8, 2021
Summary
Repetitive head impacts in athletes can alter brain function, even without concussion. Genetic variations in TPH2 influence how regional cerebral blood flow relates to motor performance, particularly in T-carriers after a football season.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Sports Medicine
Background:
- Collision sport athletes experience head acceleration events (HAEs) that can cause brain changes without diagnosed concussion.
- The gene tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) plays a role in neurovascular function.
- Understanding gene-environment interactions is crucial for assessing long-term effects of repetitive HAEs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between TPH2 genotype, regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and virtual reality (VR) motor performance in football players.
- To investigate how these relationships change across a competitive season.
- To identify potential biomarkers for sub-concussive head trauma effects.
Main Methods:
- Studied 24 NCAA Division I football players.
- Measured rCBF using arterial spin labeling (ASL) neuroimaging.
- Assessed VR motor performance, including reaction time and visual-spatial processing, pre-season and post-season.
- Genotyped players for TPH2 variations (T-carriers and CC homozygotes).
Main Results:
- Pre-season: TPH2 T-carriers with lower rCBF showed better VR reaction time; CC homozygotes with higher rCBF showed better performance.
- Post-season: TPH2 T-carriers improved VR reaction time with decreased rCBF; CC homozygotes improved with increased rCBF in specific brain regions.
- TPH2 T-carriers exhibited an exacerbated abnormal relationship between rCBF and visual-spatial processing efficiency after the season.
Conclusions:
- TPH2 genotype influences neurovascular responses to repetitive HAEs.
- Gene-environment interactions, specifically TPH2 and HAE exposure, affect motor performance and brain function.
- Current clinical tools may not detect these subtle, gene-related changes, highlighting the need for advanced neuroimaging and genetic analyses in sports-related brain injury research.
