Association of white matter brain diffusivity properties with football exposure in former professional American-style football players

Motivation: The possible long-term effects of repetitive head impacts experienced by American-style professional football players are poorly understood. White matter injury is a known sequela of head trauma. Peak-width skeletonized mean diffusivity measurements have been associated with cerebrovascular disease. Goal(s): Our goal is to evaluate the association of peak-width skeletonized diffusion values with football exposure. Approach: We measured peak-width skeletonized diffusion values in 103 retired professional football players who underwent multi-shell diffusion imaging. Results: Age, hypertension, body-mass index, concussion signs and symptom history score, total years of non-professional play, and episodes of loss of consciousness were significantly associated with peak-width skeletonized diffusion values. Impact: Measured peak-width skeletonized diffusion values in white matter may provide an improved understanding of the association between football exposure and later-in-life brain microstructural integrity.