Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41382356›Full record

ArticleBrain injury2026

Association of sports and physical activity with mild traumatic brain injury and behavioral and neurocognitive function.

Wenjing Meng, Florin Vaida, Emily L Dennis, Elisabeth A Wilde, Joanna Jacobus, Xia Yang, Michael Cheng, Emily A Troyer, Everett L Delfel, Tracy Abildskov and 3 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Brain injury, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Wenjing MengDepartment of Family Medicine and Public Health, Division of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
Florin VaidaDepartment of Family Medicine and Public Health, Division of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
Emily L DennisDepartment of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, UT and George E. Whalen Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake, UT, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-7112-4009
Elisabeth A WildeGeorge E. Wahlen VA Medical Center, Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake, UT, USA.
Joanna JacobusDepartment of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
Xia YangDepartment of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, Brain Research Institute; University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Michael ChengDepartment of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Emily A TroyerDepartment of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
Everett L DelfelDepartment of Psychiatry, San Diego State university/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA.
Tracy AbildskovLab Manager, George E. Wahlen VA Medical Center, Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
John R HesselinkDepartment of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
Erin D BiglerDepartments of Psychiatry and Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Provo, UT, USA.
Jeffrey E MaxDepartment of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.

Funding

Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and the ABCD Study: A Prospective Behavioral, Psychiatric, Neurocognitive, Imaging, and Genetic InvestigationR01HD105338 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI JEFFREY Edwin MAX · 2022 to 2026
$2.3M
NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD105338
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSports and physical activity (sports/PA) participation benefits children psychologically but may be associated with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). We examined associations between individual sports/PA and mTBI, and whether participation is associated with physical, behavioral/emotional, and neurocognitive outcomes among children aged 9-10.

methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from 11,878 children enrolled in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The primary outcome was lifetime mTBI. The exposure was participation in individual sports/PA. Secondary outcomes included physical health, behavioral/emotional problems, and neurocognitive performance.

resultsChildren who participated in climbing, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.677 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.079, 2.506), and/or soccer, aOR = 1.366 (1.112, 1.680), had higher odds of mTBI than those who did not. The odds of mTBI were lower among children who participated in yoga versus those who did not, with aOR = 0.425 (0.149, 0.947). There was a significant sports/PA-by-mTBI interaction on behavioral/emotional scores, indicating that sports/PA participation was associated with attenuated behavioral problems among children with mTBI.

conclusionParticipation in soccer and/or climbing showed positive associations with mTBI, while participation in yoga showed a negative association. Sports/PA participation was related to better behavioral/emotional and neurocognitive functioning, regardless of children's injury history.

Indexed as

Brain ConcussionExerciseSportsAthletic InjuriesChildCognitionCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleNeuropsychological TestsbehaviordepressionemotionMild traumatic brain injuryneurocognitionsports/PA

Identifiers

PMID41382356
PMCPMC13012866

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Registered trials

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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.