Profiling position specific head trauma in professional American football based on impact magnitude and frequency

In American football repetitive brain trauma is associated with high risk of neurologic disorders. Head contact is integral to the game, resulting in high frequency of head contacts during a game/season. Low energy impacts that do not manifest signs recognized as injury still present metabolic and/or physiologic changes within the brain. The purpose was to estimate player position specific brain trauma profiles based on strain magnitude and impact frequency. Head impacts from 32 game films of professional football were documented and categorized based on event type, head location, and velocity for 8 positions. Inbound velocity was calculated using Kinovea 0.8.20 software. Events were reconstructed using 50th percentile Hybrid III headform, unbiased neckform, linear impactor (collisions) and monorail drop tower (falls). Maximum principal strain (MPS) within the cerebrum was calculated using UCDBTM. Frequency [p < 0.0005] and magnitude [p < 0.0005] were significantly different between the 8 positions. No significant differences in frequencies between the following; quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive back; running back, tight end, and linebacker; and between offensive and defensive linemen. Approximately 60% of documented impacts were received by linemen and tight end. The magnitudes of impacts experienced by quarterbacks were significantly different to all positions excluding wide receiver and defensive back. Wide receiver experienced significantly different magnitudes than both linemen; and differences were found between offensive linemen and defensive back. Approximately 95% of impacts experienced by linemen were below 17% MPS. Conversely, over 90% of impacts documented for quarterback were above moderate strain magnitudes (>17%). Results show risks of repetitive trauma and injury vary with position; some experience high frequency impacts of low magnitude while others receive lower hit counts of higher magnitudes. Findings showed that tight end and running back are particularly risky with relatively high brain strain magnitudes coupled with high frequency making them susceptible to high trauma loads.

The Correlation between Administration of Alpha Lipoic Acid and Malondialdehyde Level on Traumatic Brain Injury Model Rat’s Brain

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by repetitive brain trauma that cancontinues to be dementia, alzheimer and parkinsonism. Traumatic brain injury increased free radicals in brain thatcaused oxidative stress and induced lipid peroxidation, neuron damage and producing MDA. The purpose is todetermine the correlation between administration of ALA and MDA level in rat’s brain model of traumatic braininjury and its effective dose. Rats are randomLy divided into 7 groups. Normal group without treatment, K(-) wasgiven NaCl 0,9% 1,5 mL, K(+) was given citicoline 6,75 mg, K1 was given ALA 1,0125 mg, K2 was given ALA 2,025mg, K3 was given ALA 4,05 mg, K4 was given ALA 8,1 mg and received 30 days traumatic brain injury treatment bydropped 245 g load on the rat’s head at 35 cm height. MDA level in brain were measured on the 31th day withMDA-TBA method by spectrofotometer. The averages of MDA levels were N 1,64 μg/mL; K(+) 2,09 μg/mL; K(-) 4,87μg/mL; K1 2,73 μg/mL; K2 2,68 μg/mL; K3 2,20 μg/mL and K4 2,02 μg/mL. Pearson’s analysis shows strong andsignificant negative correlation (r= -0,790) between administration of ALA and MDA level in rat’s brain model oftraumatic brain injury (p<0,05). The effective dose of ALA is 8,625 mg/150gBW.Keywords : Alpha lipoic acid, MDA, traumatic brain injury, CTE