Repetitive subconcussive head impacts – brain alterations and clinical consequences (RepImpact). (RepImpact)

Subconcussive blows to the head are prevalent in athletes in contact-sports. Multiple impacts may lead to brain alterations and clinical impairment, but the extent of these effects is unknown. No studies have determined whether exposure to repetitive head impact in childhood and adolescence leads to impaired brain development. Soccer, where repetitive head impacts are common, provides an accessible model for understanding the effects of repetitive subconcussive head impacts. Our hypothesis is that repetitive subconcussive head impacts will result in structural and functional brain alterations, and that these alterations will be accompanied by clinical consequences. We propose a longitudinal study of professionally trained youth soccer players (age 14-17), compared with a control group of athletes involved in non-contact sports. A multidisciplinary, multinational consortium of experts carries out cutting-edge translational research to 1) understand the mechanisms of repetitive head impacts using MRI and EEG techniques as well as blood and saliva samples and 2) to develop new strategies for diagnosis and prevention of brain alterations after repetitive external insults.