Abstract #2996

Structural and functional neuroimaging changes in female rugby players with and without a history of concussion

Kathryn Yvonne Manning¹, Jeffrey S. Brooks², Lisa Fischer³, Kevin Blackney⁴, Alexandra Harriss⁵, Arthur Brown⁶, Robert Bartha⁷, Tim Doherty⁸, James P. Dickey², Tatiana Jevremovic³, Christy Barreira⁴, Douglas Fraser⁹, Jeff Holmes¹⁰, Gregory A. Dekaban¹¹, and Ravi S. Menon¹²

¹Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, ²Kinesiology, Western University, London, ON, Canada, ³Primary Care Sport Medicine, Fowler Kennedy Sports Medicine, London, ON, Canada, ⁴Molecular Medicine, Robarts Research Institute, London, ON, Canada, ⁵Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Western University, London, ON, Canada, ⁶Anatomy and Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada, ⁷Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, ON, Canada, ⁸Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Western University, London, ON, Canada, ⁹Paediatrics Critical Care Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada, ¹⁰Occupational Therapy, Western University, London, ON, Canada, ¹¹Microbiology and Immunology, Western University, London, ON, Canada, ¹²Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, London, ON, Canada

In this study we acquired diffusion and resting state fMRI data from female varsity rugby players, rowers and swimmers during the in- and off-season and found (a) significant alterations in the corpus callosum that correlated with altered default mode network connectivity with the posterior cingulate cortex as well as (b) fluctuations in white matter diffusion measures within the brainstem in contact athletes compared to non-contact athletes. Together this suggests that repetitive subclinical impacts incur both acute and long-term changes to brain microstructure and function despite lack of symptoms or even a history of concussion.

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