AMSSM researcher discusses genetic associations with concussions

Thomas R. Terrell, MD presented "Prospective Cohort Study of the Association of Genetic Polymorphisms and Concussion Risk and Postconcussion Neurocognitive Deficits in College Athletes" at the 21st American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Ga. on April 23, 2012.

A multi-center prospective cohort study of over 3,200 college and high school athletes was designed to look at the association of genetic polymorphisms with risk of acute concussion and for an associative link with longer duration of symptoms. Following analysis trying to link certain genetic polymorpisms, those evaluated did not show an association with prospective concussions, although some association was found in a pooled analysis of self-reported and prospective concussions.

Dr. Terrell, a two-time AMSSM Foundation Research Award winner, commented, "Although we did not find an association of these genetic factors in association prospectively with concussions, the next segment of our research is to evaluate other genetic factors, particularly for associations with severe or recurrent concussions." He was optimistic about possible associations and said, "As we look at further data and expand our numbers of concussions included in the study, part of the Tau gene and other genetic polymorphisms have a link in explaining neurocognitive recovery"