A history of concussions is associated with symptoms of common mental disorders in former male professional athletes across a range of sports

Objective: Recent reports suggest that exposure to repetitive concussions in sports is associated with an increased risk of symptoms of distress, anxiety and depression, sleep disturbance or substance abuse/dependence (typically referred as symptoms of common mental disorders[CMD]) and of later development of neurodegenerative disease, in particular chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The primary aim of this study was to explore the relationship between sports career-related concussions and the subsequent occurrence of symptoms of CMD among former male professional athletes retired from football (soccer), ice hockey and rugby (union). Methods: Cross-sectional analyses were performed on baseline electronic questionnaires from three prospective cohort studies among former male professional athletes retired from football (soccer), ice hockey and rugby (union). The number of confirmed concussions was examined through a single question, while symptoms of distress, anxiety and depression, sleep disturbance and adverse alcohol use were assessed using validated questionnaires. Results: From 1,957 former professional athletes contacted, a total of 576 (29%) completed the questionnaire. Of these, 23% had not incurred a concussion during their career, 34% had two or three, 18% four or five, and 11% six or more concussions. The number of sports career-related concussions was a predictor for all outcome measures (β = 0.072–0.109; P ≤ 0.040). Specifically, former professional athletes who reported a history of four or five concussions were approximately 1.5 times more likely to report symptoms of CMD, rising to a two- to five-fold increase in those reporting a history of six or more sports career-related concussions. Conclusions: These data demonstrate an association between exposure to sports concussion and subsequent risk of symptoms of CMD in former professional athletes across a range of contact sports. Further work to explore the association between sports concussion and symptoms of CMD is required; in the meanwhile, strategies for effective risk reduction and improved management appear indicated

Additional file 12: Figure S8. of Population Dynamics Among six Major Groups of the Oryza rufipogon Species Complex, Wild Relative of Cultivated Asian Rice

Chloroplast haplotype network including admixed samples. (PDF 598 kb

Primer sequences used in this study.

<p>Primer sequences used in this study.</p

Additional file 9: Figure S5. of Population Dynamics Among six Major Groups of the Oryza rufipogon Species Complex, Wild Relative of Cultivated Asian Rice

Pericarp Color Associated with RC Haplotype Groups. (PDF 253 kb

Relative mRNA expression of dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) (LOC_ Os01g44260) ortholog of Gopum (white rice) and Jeokjinju (red rice) at 20 days after flowering (DAF).

<p>The DFR expression of rice grains was examined at 10, 15, and 20 DAF during ripening stage. Beta tubulin was used as a reference gene.</p

Vector construction and GUS expression of different DFR promoter deletions.

<p>Schematic representation of the size and position of each promoter construct used for transformation of rice (A), GUS expression patterns of DFR promoter constructs (B), GUS activity in deletion series of DFR promoter (C). GUS staining was detected as high levels in DEL1, DEL2, and DEL3, but not in DEL4 and DEL5.</p

Functional properties of an alternative, tissue-specific promoter for rice NADPH-dependent dihydroflavonol reductase - Fig 4

<p><b>(X) GUS staining of transgenic promoter-deletion lines</b>. 5 days before flowering (A), At flowering(B), 5 days after flowering (C), 10 days after flowering (D), 15 days after flowering (E), 20 days after flowering (F), 25 days after flowering (G), 30 days after flowering (H). A to D, All seeds are dehulled. E to H, Seeds without hulls are in the upper row and seeds with hulls are in the lower row. All transgenic lines are in the Jeokjinju variety. <b>(Y) GUS activity in all deletion series of DFR promoter was measured</b>. The GUS activity was highest at 20 days after flowering (F).</p

Additional file 16: of Population Dynamics Among six Major Groups of the Oryza rufipogon Species Complex, Wild Relative of Cultivated Asian Rice

Supplemental Text. Extended Materials and Methods (Additional file 18). (DOCX 21 kb