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Review
. 2012 Jul;40(3):138-44.
doi: 10.1097/JES.0b013e3182524273.

Cognitive decline and aging: the role of concussive and subconcussive impacts

Steven P Broglio  1 , James T Eckner, Henry L Paulson, Jeffery S Kutcher
Affiliations
Review

Cognitive decline and aging: the role of concussive and subconcussive impacts

Steven P Broglio et al. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2012 Jul.

Abstract

Concussion has been viewed historically as a transient injury with no evidence supporting the existence of persistent effects. However, our recent work demonstrates electroencephalographic and motor control changes in otherwise healthy individuals with a history of concussion. We therefore hypothesize that concussive and subconcussive head impacts set about a cascade of pathological events that accelerates declines in cognitive function typically associated with the aging process.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Event-related brain potential (ERP) waveforms showing suppressed P3b and N2 components in the concussion history group. (Reprinted from (2). Copyright * 2009 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Used with permission.)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Differences in postural control complexity (i.e., Approximate Entropy (ApEn)) in those with and without a history of concussion. A. shows changing performance in the anterior-posterior direction, and (B.) in the medial-lateral direction. SOT, NeuroCom Sensory Organization Test. (Reprinted from (28). Copyright * 2011 National Athletic Trainers’ Association. Used with permission.)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Hypothesis of age-related differences in cognitive and motor performance in those with and without a history of concussion. Some individuals with a concussion history may show greater performance declines, at a faster rate, with age, whereas others may benefit from cognitive reserve and show no clinical performance decrements.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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