Hard Knocks Lead to Lasting Brain Injury
Brain injury and repair processes persist for years after players end collision sports careers and lead to long-term cognitive problems, such as memory loss, according to a recent study.
Illustration by Giovanni Pinna
In a new study using brain scans of former NFL athletes, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say they found high levels of a repair protein present long after a traumatic brain injury, such as a concussion, takes place.
The repair protein — 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) — is known to be present in the brain at high levels in the immediate aftermath of brain injury as part of the inflammatory response and to facilitate repair. The new findings, published in JAMA Network Open, suggest that brain injury and repair processes persist for years after players end collision sports careers and lead to long-term cognitive problems, such as memory loss.
“The findings show that participating in repeated collision sports, like football, may have a direct link to long-term inflammation in the brain,” says Jennifer Coughlin, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.
Past studies have shown the presence of elevated levels of TSPO up to 17 years after injury, which, researchers say, indicates the brain remains in a heightened state of injury and repair long after the traumatic event.
In the new study, researchers examined MRI and PET scans of 27 former NFL players’ brains that were completed between April 2018 and February 2023. They compared these brain scans to those acquired from 27 noncollision sport athletes (swimmers) who all participated for at least two years in NCAA-level competition.
Results show that former NFL players performed worse in learning and memory tests than the swimmers. Additionally, researchers found that levels of TSPO in the former NFL athletes were higher on average compared with the swimmers, particularly in areas of the brain associated with memory and attention.
“The findings show that participating in repeated collision sports, like football, may have a direct link to long-term inflammation in the brain.”
Jennifer Coughlin, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences
“Since TSPO is associated with repair, we don’t recommend the use of drugs or other interventions at this time. Instead, we will continue to monitor TSPO levels through more research in order to test for signs of resolution of the injury with more time away from the game,” says Coughlin. Ultimately, the researchers aim to guide strategies for the use of immunomodulating treatments (possible anti-inflammatory medications) to heal the brain when needed.