These findings of motor and cognitive changes, along with neurophysiological alterations, particularly with intracortical inhibition, nearly two decades post-concussion provides evidence for long-term sequelae for athletes with a history of repeated head trauma in contact sports.
Aim: This study investigated the somatosensory and corticomotor physiology of retired contact sport athletes with a history of repeated concussion/subconcussion head trauma.Methods: Retired male athletes with a history of playing contact sports and repeated head trauma (n = 122) were divided into two groups: those who expressed concerns regarding their mental and cognitive health (“symptomatic”: n = 83), and those who did not express any ongoing concerns (“asymptomatic”: n = 39). Both groups were compared to age-matched male controls (n = 50) with no history of concussions or participation in contact sports, an absence of self-reported cognitive, or mood impairments. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and vibrotactile stimulation were used to assess corticomotor and somatosensory pathways respectively. TMS and vibrotactile stimulation were correlated to self-reported responses using the Fatigue and Related Symptom Survey. Linear regression was used to associate concussion history with TMS, somatosensory variables.Results: Significant differences were found in symptom survey scores between all groups (p < 0.001). TMS showed significant differences between the “symptomatic” and control groups for intracortical inhibition and paired pulse TMS measures. Somatosensory measures showed significant differences for reaction time (p < 0.01) and reaction time variability (p < 0.01) between the “symptomatic” group to the “asymptomatic” and control groups. For other somatosensory measures, the “symptomatic” measures showed differences to the “control” group. Correlations showed significant associations between severity of symptom reporting with TMS and somatosensory measure, and regression revealed the number of concussions reported was shown to have significant relationships to increased intracortical inhibition and poorer somatosensory performance.Conclusion: This study shows that retired contact sport athletes expressing chronic symptoms showed significant pathophysiology compared to those with no ongoing concerns and non-concussed controls. Further, there is a linear dose-response relationship between number of reported concussions and abnormal neurophysiology. Neurophysiological assessments such as TMS and somatosensory measures represent useful and objective biomarkers to assess cortical impairments and progression of neuropsychological impairment in individuals with a history of repeated head trauma.
Abstract-Elite athletes understand the benefits of mental training to deal with the stressors of training and competition. However, this particular cohort struggle with allocating time to work on mental training programs within the overall training program. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that Smartphone applications will improve athlete engagement with mental training programs. Forty-six male adults (mean age 24 years) who play for one professional Australian Rules football team were recruited to participate in this study. Players were randomized into three groups to undertake participation in one of three applications over a four week period: one group completed a mindfulness application (Headspace), a second group completed a brain training application (Cognifit), and a third were control and used a neutral application (Soothing Sounds). Players were assessed pre and post the four-week program on engagement; and measures including sleep (duration and quality), resilience, flow state, determination, and overall wellbeing. Results showed no differences in groups, or change in the dependent variables. However, player engagement was noticeably reduced in all groups with compliance falling, compared to initial participation levels, by 43%, 38% and 42% for the mindfulness, brain training and neutral applications respectively. This study demonstrates that Smartphone applications do not improve compliance with mental training programs, or significantly improve outcomes, in this professional athlete environment.
Background: Cortisol is a steroid hormone that follows a distinct diurnal timeline; however, while healthy ranges exist, it not been determined whether or why individuals differ on baseline cortisol levels. The aim of this study was to test the anecdotal evidence of different levels of responders by classifying these levels in resting cortisol, and to correlate individual cortisol responses to psychological traits. Methods: Twenty-two male athletes (mean age 22.5 ± 4.34 years) provided two saliva samples at the same time each day over three days in week one of their pre-season to determine individual baseline salivary cortisol levels. Participants also completed self-report psychological traits measures for correlation to cortisol levels. Results: Three levels of cortisol in responders were clearly identified (F2,19 = 69.00, p < 0.001). Pearson’s correlation coefficient showed that there was no significant relationship between baseline cortisol levels and psychological traits (optimism, r = 0.23, p = 0.29; stress, r = 0.05 p = 0.82; decision making, r = 0.19 p = 0.38). Conclusions: This novel study identified that within an overall healthy range, individual athletes will likely fall into either a low, average or high band of baseline cortisol. However individual responses did not correlate to self-report psychological traits. Caution is required if sports science staff wish to use cortisol to measure psychological stress.
Elite competitive sport is linked with a unique collection of stressors distinct from the general population. While there have been advancements in understanding the role that stressors play within the elite sporting environment, uncertainty still exists around a clear process for measuring stressors, and their specific relationship to injury. A number of models have been proposed as useful frameworks for investigating and describing the role of stress and its interaction with the psychological response to athletic injury. While these models provide evolving points of view drawing on different theoretical backgrounds regarding their interpretation of athletic stress and injury, they offer little application to the applied elite sporting environment, and no detail of how they these models support athletes, and high performance staff in the applied setting. This narrative review will present two popular theoretical psychological models of sports injury rehabilitation. We argue that these models could be better applied in the current sporting environment if they utilized biological markers such as cortisol measures of personality. Extending from the Biopsychosocial model of injury, we present an updated model of injury quantifying the psychophysiological response for athletes [1]. This model is aligned with the current applied sporting landscape, incorporating the implementation of measurement practice guidelines, and offering high-performance staff an example that can be applied to their unique setting by assessing individuals' distinct measures of cortisol and personality in response to stress and injury.
International concern regarding the association between repetitive neurotrauma in sport and long term concerns with ageing continues. While previous studies have reported older (i.e. over 50 years) our study describes corticomotor changes across the lifespan between retired contact sport athletes, between the ages of 30 and 70 years. Retired athletes, minimum five years retired, (n=152; 48.6+/-9.0 years) and age-matched controls (n=72; 47.8+/-9.5 years) were assessed using single and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for active motor threshold (aMT), motor evoked potential and cortical silent period duration (expressed as MEP:cSP ratio), and short- and long-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI and LICI). Age-matched controls showed significant moderate correlations for MEP:cSP ratios at 130% (rho=0.48), 150% (rho=0.49)and 170% aMT (rho=0.42; all p<0.001) and significant but small negative correlation for SICI (rho=-0.27; p=0.030), and moderate negative correlation for LICI (rho=-0.43; p<0.001). Further, group-wise correlation analysis shows significant stronger corelations (all p<0.05) in the control for each variable than in the retired players. This study is the first to characterise corticomotor differences between retired athletes and age matched controls across the lifespan. in those with a history of repetitive head trauma and provides a foundation for further work to utilise TMS as a prodromal marker useful in supplementing neuropsychological assessment for traumatic encephalopathy syndrome which currently lacks physiological biomarkers.
Objectives: This exploratory study quantified professional Australian rules football players transitioning from the Australian Football League (AFL), comparing responses between retiring and delisted players and if the experience of exiting an AFL club influenced the athlete transition process.Design: Online survey research.Method: Identified male athletes (n=425) transitioning from the AFL competition from years 2019-2021 were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey. Athletes answered questions on career length, the mechanism of their transition (retirement or delisting), and their experience of transition. They also answered questions on their self-perceived athletic identity, financial confidence, social relationships, the influence of sport in their daily life, and future career preparations. Apart from their playing career demographics and experience of transition, questions were answered via either dichotomous or scaled responses.Results: Delisted players, compared to retired players, reported shorter career spans (p<0.001), and poorer perception of their club’s handling of the transition process (p<0.001). Further, delisted players had a stronger identity attachment to sport (p<0.001), were less confident in their financial capabilities (p=0.048), and career preparation beyond football (p=0.026). Conversely retired players showed stronger psychological flourishing (p=0.011). Correlations showed that retired players with more positive experiences in the club transition process were more confidence in their finances (p<0.001), reported greater psychological flourishing (p=0.05), had lower attachment to an athletic identity (p=0.008).Conclusions: In this cohort, career length and transition process experience impacted on transitioning athletes psychological flourishing, athletic identity, financial confidence and elements of career self-doubt. The data supports previous case and qualitative studies that education and awareness to AFL club staff on the transition process is required particularly to delisted players exiting the AFL and for a life outside of professional sport.
THIS ARTICLE EXAMINES THE BENEFITS OF USING MINDFULNESS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING (SC) TRAINING PERFORMANCE. ALTHOUGH THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MINDFULNESS HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED IN ATHLETES FROM NOVICE TO COLLEGIATE LEVELS, ATHLETES CONTINUE TO FAIL TO USE MINDFULNESS CITING A RANGE OF ISSUES INCLUDING TIME DEMANDS AND EXPENSE OF PSYCHOLOGISTS. ONE SOLUTION MAY BE THROUGH USING TECHNOLOGY TO EXPLORE SMARTPHONE APPLICATIONS THAT CAN DELIVER MINDFULNESS TRAINING BEFORE AND DURING SC SESSIONS. IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE USE OF SMARTPHONE TECHNOLOGY MAY BRIDGE THE GAP THAT EXISTS IN PAST METHODS OF DELIVERY OF MINDFULNESS INTERVENTIONS. FOR A VIDEO ABSTRACT DESCRIBING THIS ARTICLE, SEE, SUPPLEMENTAL DIGITAL CONTENT 1, (SEE VIDEO, http://links.lww.com/scj/a197).
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.