INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 03 Program Schedule 02/15/2024 09:30 am - 10:40 am Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120) Poster Session 03: Neurotrauma \| Neurovascular Final Abstract #70 Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Concerns among Older Female Former College Athletes Logan Shurtz, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States Stephen Bunt, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States Jeffrey Schaffert, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States Sebastian Chowdhury, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States Hannah Doggett, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States Ingrid Tamez, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States Nyaz Didehbani, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States Christian LoBue, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States C Cullum, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States Category: Concussion/Mild TBI (Adult) Keyword 1: concussion/ mild traumatic brain injury Keyword 2: aging (normal) Objective: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a neuropathological condition thought to be related to repetitive blows to the head that has gained widespread media attention. CTE has primarily been identified in aging male former professional athletes, but interest in examining its existence in women has recently progressed. We investigated concerns regarding development of CTE and permanent memory or thinking problems in female former college athletes. Participants and Methods: Women aged 50-82 who had participated in collegiate sports (n=197) completed a comprehensive online survey for the College Level Aging Athlete Study (CLEAATS). Participants were divided into contact (e.g., soccer) or non-contact (e.g., volleyball) sport groups. Survey questions regarding self-perceived concern for developing CTE and “permanent memory or thinking problems” related to a history of concussions and/or head impacts were examined. Level of concern was measured on a 5-point scale (0 = none, 1 = slight, 2 = somewhat, 3 = moderate, or 4 = extreme) and then condensed into two groups based on reported level of concern (not concerned, 0 or concerned, >0). Chi-square analyses were performed to evaluate the frequency of reported concern between contact and non-contact groups. Results: Overall, 23.4% (46/197) of the entire sample reported at least some concern about CTE. Regardless of contact or non-contact sport participation, for those that reported CTE concern, most (82.6%, 38/46) expressed a “slight” to “somewhat” level of concern, and 17.4% (8/46) indicated “moderate” or “extreme” concern. No significant differences were found between female former college athletes that participated in contact sports (n=85) vs non-contact sports (n=112) regarding their overall concern about developing CTE, χ²(1,197) = 0.536, p = 0.464, or their concern about “permanent memory or thinking problems,” χ²(1,197) = 0.292, p = 0.589. The contact sports group endorsed concerns about CTE at a similar frequency to the non-contact sports group, with 25.9% (22/85) of contact athletes indicating concern (slight, somewhat, moderate, or extreme), compared to 21.4% (24/112) of non-contact athletes. Similarly, the contact sports group endorsed concerns about memory/thinking problems at a similar frequency to the non-contact sports group, with 37.6% (32/85) of contact athletes indicating concern (slight, somewhat, moderate, or extreme), compared to 33.9% (38/112) of non-contact athletes. Conclusions: Preliminary data from CLEAATS revealed no significant differences in self-reported concern for CTE and memory/thinking problems between female former college athletes that participated in contact vs non-contact sports. Regardless, roughly 1/4^th of former female athletes surveyed expressed some level of concern about CTE or later-in-life cognitive issues. Further investigation is necessary to clarify the degree and origin of these concerns and underscores the importance of promoting accurate public information about CTE.

Poster

02/15/2024
09:30 am - 10:40 am
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)

Poster Session 03: Neurotrauma | Neurovascular

Final Abstract #70

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Concerns among Older Female Former College Athletes

Logan Shurtz, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
Stephen Bunt, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
Jeffrey Schaffert, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
Sebastian Chowdhury, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
Hannah Doggett, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
Ingrid Tamez, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
Nyaz Didehbani, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
Christian LoBue, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
C Cullum, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States

Category: Concussion/Mild TBI (Adult)

Keyword 1: concussion/ mild traumatic brain injury
Keyword 2: aging (normal)

Objective:

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a neuropathological condition thought to be related to repetitive blows to the head that has gained widespread media attention. CTE has primarily been identified in aging male former professional athletes, but interest in examining its existence in women has recently progressed. We investigated concerns regarding development of CTE and permanent memory or thinking problems in female former college athletes.

Participants and Methods:

Women aged 50-82 who had participated in collegiate sports (n=197) completed a comprehensive online survey for the College Level Aging Athlete Study (CLEAATS). Participants were divided into contact (e.g., soccer) or non-contact (e.g., volleyball) sport groups. Survey questions regarding self-perceived concern for developing CTE and “permanent memory or thinking problems” related to a history of concussions and/or head impacts were examined. Level of concern was measured on a 5-point scale (0 = none, 1 = slight, 2 = somewhat, 3 = moderate, or 4 = extreme) and then condensed into two groups based on reported level of concern (not concerned, 0 or concerned, >0). Chi-square analyses were performed to evaluate the frequency of reported concern between contact and non-contact groups.

Results:

Overall, 23.4% (46/197) of the entire sample reported at least some concern about CTE. Regardless of contact or non-contact sport participation, for those that reported CTE concern, most (82.6%, 38/46) expressed a “slight” to “somewhat” level of concern, and 17.4% (8/46) indicated “moderate” or “extreme” concern. No significant differences were found between female former college athletes that participated in contact sports (n=85) vs non-contact sports (n=112) regarding their overall concern about developing CTE, χ²(1,197) = 0.536, p = 0.464, or their concern about “permanent memory or thinking problems,” χ²(1,197) = 0.292, p = 0.589. The contact sports group endorsed concerns about CTE at a similar frequency to the non-contact sports group, with 25.9% (22/85) of contact athletes indicating concern (slight, somewhat, moderate, or extreme), compared to 21.4% (24/112) of non-contact athletes. Similarly, the contact sports group endorsed concerns about memory/thinking problems at a similar frequency to the non-contact sports group, with 37.6% (32/85) of contact athletes indicating concern (slight, somewhat, moderate, or extreme), compared to 33.9% (38/112) of non-contact athletes.

Conclusions:

Preliminary data from CLEAATS revealed no significant differences in self-reported concern for CTE and memory/thinking problems between female former college athletes that participated in contact vs non-contact sports. Regardless, roughly 1/4^th of former female athletes surveyed expressed some level of concern about CTE or later-in-life cognitive issues. Further investigation is necessary to clarify the degree and origin of these concerns and underscores the importance of promoting accurate public information about CTE.