Modeling the Effect of Repeated Sub-concussive Impacts in Soccer Players Using The Virtual Brain
Year: 2015
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Repeated sub-concussive impacts (blows transmitting force to head, but not causing overt concussion symptoms) have been linked to negative outcomes later in life, such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. However, the effects of sub-concussive impacts in the short-term are only beginning to be explored. The present study analyzed post-season structural (T1, DTI), and functional (fMRI) data collected from a group of university-aged soccer players and non-collision sport controls. Whole-brain functional connectivity was higher in soccer players relative to controls, while structural connectivity did not differ between groups. Additionally, The Virtual Brain (TVB), a whole-brain simulator of functional brain dynamics, was validated in this population by producing functional connectivity matrices that correlated with empirical data. Together, results indicated that repeated sub-concussive impacts may affect functional connectivity in the short-term, and that TVB could be a valuable tool in future studies of this population.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: Tyler J. Good
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2610349043