ArticleBrain imaging and behavior2020
A magnetic resonance spectroscopy investigation in symptomatic former NFL players.
Article in Brain imaging and behavior, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
28 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 59 citations in OpenAlex.
- Diffusion-Weighted Imaging in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review of the Literature.Neuropsychology review · 2023Pooled it
- Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of Traumatic Brain Injury and Subconcussive Hits: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of neurotrauma · 2022Pooled it
- Evaluating Associations Between Postconcussion Physical Activity and Brain Neurometabolite Concentrations in the Posterior Cingulate Gyrus.Journal of child neurology · 2026Article
- Article
- Part II. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show?Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2025Review
- Shape analysis of the amygdala, hippocampus and thalamus in former American football players.Brain communications · 2025Article
- The Role of Macronutrients and Gut Microbiota in Neuroinflammation Post-Traumatic Brain Injury: A Narrative Review.Nutrients · 2024Review
- Brain morphometry in former American football players: findings from the DIAGNOSE CTE research project.Brain : a journal of neurology · 2024Article
- Rate of abnormalities in quantitative MR neuroimaging of persons with chronic traumatic brain injury.BMC neurology · 2024Article
- Brain Spectroscopy Analysis in Retired Soccer Players With Chronic Exposure to Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries.Neurotrauma reports · 2023Article
- Transcranial Photobiomodulation Treatment: Significant Improvements in Four Ex-Football Players with Possible Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports · 2023Article
- Age of first exposure to soccer heading: Associations with cognitive, clinical, and imaging outcomes in the Einstein Soccer Study.Frontiers in neurology · 2023Article
- Interface astrogliosis in contact sport head impacts and military blast exposure.Acta neuropathologica communications · 2022Article
- Post-Concussion Syndrome and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Narrative Review on the Neuropathology, Neuroimaging and Fluid Biomarkers.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- A preliminary model of football-related neural stress that integrates metabolomics with transcriptomics and virtual reality.iScience · 2022Article
- Chronic traumatic encephalopathy: Diagnostic updates and advances.AIMS neuroscience · 2022Review
- Blood Metabolomics Analysis Identifies Differential Serum Metabolites in Elite and Sub-elite Swimmers.Frontiers in physiology · 2022Article
- Applying the Bradford Hill Criteria for Causation to Repetitive Head Impacts and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.Frontiers in neurology · 2022Review
- Developing methods to detect and diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy during life: rationale, design, and methodology for the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project.Alzheimer's research & therapy · 2021Article
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Consensus Diagnostic Criteria for Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome.Neurology · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
19 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
The long-term neurologic consequences of exposure to repetitive head impacts (RHI) are not well understood. This study used magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to examine later-life neurochemistry and its association with RHI and clinical function in former National Football League (NFL) players. The sample included 77 symptomatic former NFL players and 23 asymptomatic individuals without a head trauma history. Participants completed cognitive, behavior, and mood measures. N-acetyl aspartate, glutamate/glutamine, choline, myo-inositol, creatine, and glutathione were measured in the posterior (PCG) and anterior (ACG) cingulate gyrus, and parietal white matter (PWM). A cumulative head impact index (CHII) estimated RHI. In former NFL players, a higher CHII correlated with lower PWM creatine (r = -0.23, p = 0.02). Multivariate mixed-effect models examined neurochemical differences between the former NFL players and asymptomatic individuals without a history of head trauma. PWM N-acetyl aspartate was lower among the former NFL players (mean diff. = 1.02, p = 0.03). Between-group analyses are preliminary as groups were recruited based on symptomatic status. The ACG was the only region associated with clinical function, including positive correlations between glutamate (r = 0.32, p = 0.004), glutathione (r = 0.29, p = 0.02), and myo-inositol (r = 0.26, p = 0.01) with behavioral/mood symptoms. Other positive correlations between ACG neurochemistry and clinical function emerged (i.e., behavioral/mood symptoms, cognition), but the positive directionality was unexpected. All analyses controlled for age, body mass index, and education (for analyses examining clinical function). In this sample of symptomatic former NFL players, there was a direct effect between RHI and reduced cellular energy metabolism (i.e., lower creatine). MRS neurochemicals associated with neuroinflammation also correlated with behavioral/mood symptoms.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.