TY - JOUR PY - 2019// TI - Impaired cerebral vasoreactivity despite symptom resolution in sports-related concussion JO - Journal of neurotrauma A1 - Purkayastha, Sushmita A1 - Sorond, Farzaneh A. A1 - Lyng, Sydney A1 - Frantz, Justin A1 - Murphy, Megan N. A1 - Hynan, Linda S. A1 - Sabo, Tonia A1 - Bell, Kathleen SP - 2385 EP - 2390 VL - 36 IS - 16 N2 - Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with increased risk of later-life neurodegeneration and dementia. However, the underpinning mechanisms are poorly understood and secondary injury resulting from perturbed physiological processes play a significant role. Cerebral vasoreactivity (CVR), a measure of hemodynamic reserve, is known to be impaired in TBI. However, the temporal course of this physiological perturbation is not established. We examined CVR and clinical symptoms on day-3 (T1), day-21 (T2), and day-90 (T3) following concussion in collegiate athletes and cross-sectionally in non-injured controls. Changes in middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (MCAV) (transcranial Doppler ultrasonography) were measured during changes in end-tidal CO₂ (PetCO₂) at normocapnia, hypercapnia (inspiring 8% CO₂), and hypocapnia (hyperventilation). CVR was determined as the slope of the linear relationship and expressed as percent change in MCAV per mmHg change in PetCO₂. CVR was attenuated during the acute phase T1 (1.8±0.4U P=0.0001), sub-acute phases T2 (2.0±0.4U P=0.0017) and T3 (1.9±0.6U P=0.023) post-concussion compared to the controls (2.3±0.3U). Concussed athletes exhibited higher symptom number (2.5±3 vs.12.1±7; P<0.0001) and severity (4.2±6 vs. 29.5±23; P<0.0001), higher Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score (2.2±2 vs. 9.1±6; P=0.0003) at T1. However, by T2 symptoms had resolved. We show that CVR is impaired as early as 4 days and remains impaired up to three months post-injury despite symptom resolution. Persistent perturbations in CVR may therefore be involved in secondary injury. Future studies with a larger sample size and longer follow-up period are needed to validate this finding and delineate the duration of this vulnerable period.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0897-7151 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/neu.2018.5861 ID - ref1 ER -