Repeated head impacts may quietly break the brain’s cleanup system

-

 


A new study examining cognitively impaired professional boxers and mixed martial arts fighters reports that the brain's waste-clearing system appears to weaken after repeated blows to the head. These findings are scheduled to be presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Sports-related traumatic brain injuries represent up to 30 percent of all brain injury cases, with boxing and mixed martial arts among the leading contributors. Sustained head impacts over time are known risk factors for both neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric conditions.

How the Glymphatic System Removes Waste From the Brain

The glymphatic system consists of fluid-filled channels that help flush waste materials from the brain. Its function is somewhat similar to the lymphatic system that operates throughout the body. "The recently discovered glymphatic system is like the brain's plumbing and garbage disposal system," said Dhanush Amin, M.D., the study's lead author and a researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Cleveland Clinic Nevada. "It's vital for helping the brain flush out metabolites and toxins."

To study this system, the researchers used diffusion tensor imaging along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS), a specialized MRI method that measures how water moves in and around the channels linked to glymphatic flow. These pathways also help maintain fluid balance, deliver nutrients and immune cells, and provide protection against injury.

MRI Biomarkers Reveal Early Signs of Brain Decline

The DTI-derived ALPS index is a non-invasive marker of glymphatic function. Lower ALPS values can indicate cognitive decline and have been associated with the development of conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. "When this system doesn't work properly, damaging proteins can accumulate, which have been linked to Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia," said Dr. Amin, now an assistant professor of neuroradiology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. "Studying this system gives us a new window into understanding and possibly slowing memory loss."

Their analysis drew from baseline data in Cleveland Clinic's Professional Athletes Brain Health Study (PABHS), which tracks roughly 900 active fighters, about 300 of whom have been monitored for at least three years. For this study, the team evaluated information from 280 athletes. Among them, 95 showed cognitive impairment at the start of the study, and 20 healthy individuals served as demographically matched controls.

Higher Initial Glymphatic Activity Followed by Decline

Using the DTI-ALPS technique, the researchers evaluated glymphatic activity among all participants and examined how the DTI-derived ALPS index related to the number of knockouts each athlete had experienced. They also compared impaired fighters with those who showed no cognitive impairment. "We thought repeated head impacts would cause lower ALPS in cognitively impaired fighters compared to non-impaired fighters," Dr. Amin said. "We also expected the ALPS measurement to be significantly correlated with the total number of knockouts in the impaired fighters." Their results were unexpected. Impaired athletes showed significantly higher glymphatic index values at first, but those values fell sharply over time as the number of knockouts increased. Glymphatic function continued to drop in fighters who sustained ongoing head trauma.

"We believe that the glymphatic index was initially high in the impaired athlete group because the brain initially responds to repeated head injuries by ramping up its cleaning mechanism, but eventually, it becomes overwhelmed," Dr. Amin said. "After a certain point, the brain just gives up."

The study also noted that athletes without cognitive impairment had lower right-sided and overall glymphatic index values than impaired fighters. The pattern of how glymphatic activity related to knockout history differed significantly between the two groups.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Japan’s Innovative Approach to Artificial Intelligence Legislation

-
Image
  Japan introduced law aimed at encouraging artificial intelligence (AI) research and development. This legislation, known as the Act on the Promotion of Research, Development and Utilisation of Artificial Intelligence-Related Technologies, seeks to position Japan as a leader in the global AI landscape. The law diverges from stringent regulatory frameworks like the European Union’s AI Act, instead promoting an innovation-driven environment. Key Features of Japan’s AI Law The Act establishes an Artificial Intelligence Strategy Headquarters under the Cabinet. This body is responsible for formulating a national Basic Plan for AI. The plan encompasses foundational research, industrial deployment, international collaboration, and public education. The law avoids rigid regulatory frameworks and focuses on enabling innovation and encouraging cooperation among stakeholders. Comparison with the European Union’s AI Act In contrast to Japan’s approach, the EU’s AI Act employs a risk-based cl...
Read more

EMM-Negative Blood Group System

-
Image
  The International Society of Blood Transfusion officially recognised a new blood group system named EMM-negative, also known as Gwada negative. This designation emerged from the unique case of a woman from Guadeloupe who is the only known individual to possess this rare blood type. The discovery puts stress on advancements in transfusion medicine and genetic research. What is Gwada Negative? Gwada negative refers to the EMM-negative blood group system, identified by the absence of the EMM antigen on red blood cells. This antigen is a high-incidence antigen, present in almost all humans. The lack of such a common antigen is medically and has led to the classification of this blood type as the 48th globally recognised system in transfusion science. Discovery Process The identification of the EMM-negative blood type began in 2011 when the woman underwent routine blood tests. Initial attempts to classify her blood were inconclusive due to the lack of technology. In 2019, advancement...
Read more

Non-Binary AI Chip

-
Image
  China has made leap in artificial intelligence with the deployment of non-binary AI chips. This advancement comes from Professor Li Hongge’s team at Beihang University. They have developed a novel computing approach called Hybrid Stochastic Number (HSN) computing. This innovation aims to address critical limitations in conventional computing. About Hybrid Stochastic Number Computing Hybrid Stochastic Number computing merges traditional binary logic with probabilistic logic. Binary systems operate on precise calculations using 1s and 0s, which are energy-intensive. In contrast, stochastic computing uses voltage signal frequencies to represent values, resulting in lower power consumption but often slower performance. The HSN system combines these approaches to achieve a balance of energy efficiency and computational reliability. Addressing Key Limitations in Conventional Chips Two major limitations challenge conventional chips – the power wall and the architecture wall. The power ...
Read more