Effect of Weight Class on Regional Brain Volume, Cognition, and Other Neuropsychiatric Outcomes among Professional Fighters

Bray, Michael J.C.; Tsai, Jerry; Bryant, Barry R.; Narapareddy, Bharat R.; Richey, Lisa N.; Krieg, Akshay; Tobolowsky, William; Jahed, Sahar; Shan, Guogen; Bernick, Charles; Peters, Matthew E.

doi:10.1089/neur.2020.0057

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 56 publications

(63 reference statements)

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“…We found that years of boxing had a significant association with the reduction of right-sided thalamic volume in boxers. This is in line with previous prospective studies that reported greater decline in thalamic volume with increased fight exposure [ 15 , 51 ]; however, unlike in the aforementioned study by Bray et al. we were not able to test the interaction between weight class and fight exposure regarding different brain volumes due to our small study group.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Deep Grey Matter Volume is Reduced in Amateur Boxers as Compared to Healthy Age-matched Controls

et al. 2022

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Purpose Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) sustained during contact sports like amateur boxing are found to have long-term sequelae, being linked to an increased risk of developing neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease. The aim of this study was to assess differences in volume of anatomical brain structures between amateur boxers and control subjects with a special interest in the affection of deep grey matter structures. Methods A total of 19 amateur boxers and 19 healthy controls (HC), matched for age and intelligence quotient (IQ), underwent 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as well as neuropsychological testing. Body mass index (BMI) was evaluated for every subject and data about years of boxing training and number of fights were collected for each boxer. The acquired 3D high resolution T1 weighted MR images were analyzed to measure the volumes of cortical grey matter (GM), white matter (WM), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and deep grey matter structures. Multivariate analysis was applied to reveal differences between groups referencing deep grey matter structures to normalized brain volume (NBV) to adjust for differences in head size and brain volume as well as adding BMI as cofactor. Results Total intracranial volume (TIV), comprising GM, WM and CSF, was lower in boxers compared to controls (by 7.1%, P = 0.009). Accordingly, GM (by 5.5%, P = 0.038) and WM (by 8.4%, P = 0.009) were reduced in boxers. Deep grey matter showed statistically lower volumes of the thalamus (by 8.1%, P = 0.006), caudate nucleus (by 11.1%, P = 0.004), putamen (by 8.1%, P = 0.011), globus pallidus (by 9.6%, P = 0.017) and nucleus accumbens (by 13.9%, P = 0.007) but not the amygdala (by 5.5%, P = 0.221), in boxers compared to HC. Conclusion Several deep grey matter structures were reduced in volume in the amateur boxer group. Furthermore, longitudinal studies are needed to determine the damage pattern affecting deep grey matter structures and its neuropsychological relevance.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Deep Grey Matter Volume is Reduced in Amateur Boxers as Compared to Healthy Age-matched Controls

et al. 2022

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“…When fighters of similar weight and physical conditioning train or compete against each other, it minimizes potential advantages or disadvantages arising from substantial differences in size, strength, and reach (Spanias et al, 2019). Ensuring similar aerobic and anaerobic conditions among athletes allows them to showcase their skills and techniques without encountering excessive physical mismatches (Bray et al, 2021;Chernozub et al, 2022). Furthermore, comparing weight divisions with closely matched weights enhances the safety of the athletes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing performance: unveiling the physiological impact of submaximal and supramaximal tests on mixed martial arts athletes in the −61 kg and −66 kg weight divisions

Gonçalves,

Miarka,

Maurício

et al. 2024

Front. Physiol.

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This study delves into the intricate details of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) by examining key variables such as maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 peak), aerobic energy (EAER), anaerobic energy (EAN), and accumulated O2 deficit (DOA). By investigating associations and comparing athletes in the −61 kg bantamweight and −66 kg featherweight weight divisions, we aim to shed light on their physiological characteristics. The sample consisted of 20 male volunteers separated into two paired groups: ten athletes in the category up to 61 kg (age: 27.7 ± 5.9 years old, height: 170.9 ± 3.4 cm, body mass: 72.8 ± 1.4 kg, fat percentage: 9.5% ± 3.0%, professional experience: 7.5 ± 7.1 years) and ten athletes up to 66 kg (age: 27.6 ± 2.9 years old, height: 176.0 ± 5.5 cm, body mass: 77.0 ± 1.5 kg, fat percentage: 7.85% ± 0.3%, professional experience: 5.5 ± 1.5 years). Remarkably, our findings revealed striking similarities between the two weight divisions. Furthermore, we discovered a negative correlation between VO2 peak and the number of MMA fights, indicating a potential impact of professional experience on aerobic capacity (r = −0.65, p < 0.01). Additionally, the number of fights exhibited negative correlations with anaerobic energy (r = −0.53, p < 0.05) and total energy cost (r = −0.54, p < 0.05). These results provide valuable insights for designing training programs in the context of MMA. While training both weight divisions together can be beneficial, it is equally crucial to incorporate specific weight-class-focused training to address each division’s unique physical demands and requirements.

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“…Other types of injuries such as abrasion, contusion, fractures, strains, and sprains were also observed between MMA athletes [4,31,35,36]. Head traumas are a major concern due to the negative effects that this injury leads to, such as headaches, loss of balance, visual impairments, emotional disturbance, and neurocognitive deficits [38,39,[46][47][48]. At professional events, such as the UFC, a head injury rate of 35 injuries per 100AE is reported [43].…”

Section: Weight Lossmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Regarding brain injuries, a longitudinal study demonstrated temporal trends in structure and cognition-positive and neuropsychiatric outcomes that diverged when investigated by weight category and type of combat sport [48]. This evidence suggests that, although weight category has not been preliminarily identified as a determinant of early brain health among professional athletes, it modifies the course of neurodegenerative transformations over time, as the similar neurological effects of repetitive impacts on the head (RHIs) are concentrated [48]. Currently, few studies have investigated the effects of head accelerations and its outcomes.…”

Section: Weight Lossmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploratory Systematic Review of Mixed Martial Arts: An Overview of Performance of Importance Factors with over 20,000 Athletes

Bueno

Faro

Lenetsky

et al. 2022

Sports

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This review aimed to analyze the findings in the literature related to Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) through an exploratory systematic review and to present the state of the art from a multifactorial perspective. The review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA statement, with a search performed in the Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. Participants were competitive athletes (amateurs or professionals) of regional, national, or international levels. Of the 2763 registries identified, 112 studies met the eligibility criteria. The pooled sample size and age were 20,784 participants, with a mean age of 27.7 ± 6 years for male and 28.9 ± 3 years for female, with the vast majority of athletes being male (94.9%). MMA athletes were 17.2% amateurs, 73.8% professionals, and 9% were not reported. The scientific literature related to MMA reported injuries (n = 28), weight loss (n = 21), technical and tactical analysis (n = 23), physical fitness (n = 8), physiological responses and training characteristics (n = 13), psychobiological parameters (n = 12), and interventions applied to MMA athletes (n = 7). Therefore, this exploratory systematic review presents practitioners and researchers with seven broad summaries of each facet of performance of importance in this population of athletes.

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Effect of Weight Class on Regional Brain Volume, Cognition, and Other Neuropsychiatric Outcomes among Professional Fighters

Cited by 8 publications

References 56 publications

Deep Grey Matter Volume is Reduced in Amateur Boxers as Compared to Healthy Age-matched Controls

Deep Grey Matter Volume is Reduced in Amateur Boxers as Compared to Healthy Age-matched Controls

Enhancing performance: unveiling the physiological impact of submaximal and supramaximal tests on mixed martial arts athletes in the −61 kg and −66 kg weight divisions

Exploratory Systematic Review of Mixed Martial Arts: An Overview of Performance of Importance Factors with over 20,000 Athletes

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