A tackler correctly adhering to the tackle instruction in a front-on, one-on-one torso tackle alters the peak inertial head kinematics of the ball carrier but not the tackler.

Objectives: To evaluate if the tackler correctly adhering, or not, to four different instructions of legal front-on one-on-one torso tackles altered the tackler and/or ball carrier peak inertial head kinematics.

Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Methods: Fifteen rugby-code players measured with three-dimensional optoelectronic motion capture performed two tackle instructions from the Australian National Rugby League coaching manual on under (Dominant National Rugby League) and over (Smother National Rugby League) the ball tackles, and two novel variants of these (under, Dominant, Torso Stick; over, Smother, Pop, Lock).

Tackle Risk Factors for Head Injury Assessments (HIAs) in Sub-Elite Rugby League and Recommendations for Prevention: Head Contacts from Upright Tackles Increase the HIA Risk to Both Ball Carrier and Tackler.

Background: The rugby league tackle has been identified as the game event with the greatest propensity for a clinically diagnosed concussion. This study aims to replicate the work conducted in professional rugby league and rugby union by examining Head Injury Assessment (HIA) events to determine the associated tackle characteristics that increase concussion risk in sub-elite rugby league players. This comparison between competition levels is important due to the less developed physiological and tackle proficiency characteristics of sub-elite rugby league players and the fewer resources available for an on-field diagnosis, compared to the elite level of the sport.

Applying the Consensus Criteria for Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome Retrospectively to Case Studies of Boxers from the 20th Century.

There are no validated diagnostic criteria for traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES). During the early and middle 20th century, TES was described as a clinical condition that was experienced by some high-exposure boxers-and it was believed to reflect chronic traumatic brain injury. Consensus criteria for the diagnosis of TES were published in 2021.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy neuropathologic change in former Australian rugby players.

Aims: We applied the 2021 consensus criteria for both chronic traumatic encephalopathy neuropathological change and traumatic encephalopathy syndrome in a small case series of six former elite-level Australian rugby code players.

Methods: Neuropathological assessment of these cases was carried out at the Sydney and Victorian Brain Banks. Clinical data were collected via clinical interviews and health questionnaires completed by the participants and/or their next of kin, and neuropsychological testing was conducted with participants who were capable of completing this testing.

A narrative review of psychiatric features of traumatic encephalopathy syndrome as conceptualized in the 20th century.

Introduction: Some ultra-high exposure boxers from the 20th century suffered from neurological problems characterized by slurred speech, personality changes (e.g., childishness or aggressiveness), and frank gait and coordination problems, with some noted to have progressive Parkinsonian-like signs.

Race, ethnicity, and clinical outcome following sport-related concussion: a systematic review.

Introduction: This systematic review examined whether race or ethnicity are associated with clinical outcomes (e.g., time to return to school/sports, symptom duration, vestibular deficits, and neurocognitive functioning) following sport-related concussion among child, adolescent, or college-aged student athletes.

A case-control study of tackle based head impact event (HIE) risk factors from the first three seasons of the National Rugby League Women's competition.

Objective: The tackle is the most injurious event in rugby league and carries the greatest risk of concussion. This study aims to replicate previous research conducted in professional men's rugby league by examining the association between selected tackle characteristics and head impact events (HIEs) in women's professional rugby league.

Methods: We reviewed and coded 83 tackles resulting in an HIE and every tackle (6,318 tackles) that did not result in an HIE for three seasons (2018-2020) of the National Rugby League Women's (NRLW) competition.

Systematic Review of Pre-injury Migraines as a Vulnerability Factor for Worse Outcome Following Sport-Related Concussion.

Background: Individuals with migraine disorders may be affected differently by concussions compared to individuals without migraine disorders. Prior studies on this topic have had mixed results. The purpose of this study was to systematically examine clinical outcomes following a sport-related concussion in athletes who have a pre-injury history of migraines.

Examining for Cavum Septum Pellucidum and Ventricular Enlargement in Retired Elite-Level Rugby League Players.

Objective: A cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) has been reported as a visible brain anomaly in normal individuals as well in some former combat and collision sport athletes. The appearance of CSP with fenestrations and ventricular enlargement are considered associated features of the neuropathological diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The current study examined CSP anatomic features and lateral ventricle size in retired elite rugby league players and controls.

Development of a Machine-Learning-Based Classifier for the Identification of Head and Body Impacts in Elite Level Australian Rules Football Players.

Exposure to thousands of head and body impacts during a career in contact and collision sports may contribute to current or later life issues related to brain health. Wearable technology enables the measurement of impact exposure. The validation of impact detection is required for accurate exposure monitoring.

A Case-Control Study of Tackle-Based Head Injury Assessment (HIA) Risk Factors in the National Rugby League.

Background: The tackle is the in-game activity carrying the greatest risk for concussion in rugby. A recent evaluation of tackle characteristics in rugby union precipitated a rule modification to reduce head impact risk during tackles. This study aims to replicate the work conducted in rugby union by examining the association between tackle characteristics and head injury events in professional rugby league.

Predictors and Correlates of Perceived Cognitive Decline in Retired Professional Rugby League Players.

Rugby league is an international full-contact sport, with frequent concussive injuries. Participation in other full-contact sports such as American football has been considered to be a risk factor for neuropsychiatric sequelae later-in-life, but little research has addressed the mental and cognitive health of retired professional rugby league players. We examined predictors and correlates of perceived (self-reported) cognitive decline in retired National Rugby League (NRL) players.

Video Analysis and Verification of Direct Head Impacts Recorded by Wearable Sensors in Junior Rugby League Players.

Background: Rugby league is a high-intensity collision sport that carries a risk of concussion. Youth athletes are considered to be more vulnerable and take longer to recover from concussion than adult athletes.

Purpose: To review head impact events in elite-level junior representative rugby league and to verify and describe characteristics of X-patch-recorded impacts via video analysis.

Incidence of Concussion and Time to Return-to-Play in the National Rugby League.

Objectives: To examine the rates of concussion and recovery time over the course of 2 seasons of the National Rugby League (NRL).

Design: Descriptive cohort study.

Setting: The NRL match play concussion injury surveillance system.

Sport Concussion Assessment Tool-5th Edition (SCAT5): Normative Reference Values for the National Rugby League Women's Premiership.

To establish normative reference values for the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool-5th Edition (SCAT5) for the new National Rugby League Women's Premiership. Preseason SCAT5 baseline testing was administered individually to all National Rugby League Women's Premiership players ( = 117). Testing was completed by the medical staff.

Predictors and Correlates of Depression in Retired Elite Level Rugby League Players.

There is considerable interest in determining whether later-in-life depression is associated with lifetime history of concussions or the duration of a career in professional contact and collision sports. Rugby league is a high-intensity collision sport involving a large number of tackles per game and a high rate of concussions. We examined predictors and correlates of depression in retired elite level rugby league players in Australia.

Symptoms of traumatic encephalopathy syndrome are common in the US general population.

There are no validated criteria for diagnosing chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or traumatic encephalopathy syndrome, in a living person. The purpose of this study is to examine symptom reporting resembling the research criteria for traumatic encephalopathy syndrome in men and women from the US general population. This is a retrospective analysis of publicly available data from a cross-sectional epidemiological study.

Examining Whether Onfield Motor Incoordination Is Associated With Worse Performance on the SCAT5 and Slower Clinical Recovery Following Concussion.

To examine the relationship between video-identified onfield motor incoordination, the acute assessment of concussion, and recovery time during three seasons of National Rugby League (NRL) play. Blows to the head ("head impact events") were recorded by sideline video operators and medical staff. Any player with a suspected concussion underwent a Head Injury Assessment in which he was taken off the field and medically evaluated, including the administration of the Sports Concussion Assessment Tool, 5th Edition (SCAT5).

Systematic Review of Preinjury Mental Health Problems as a Vulnerability Factor for Worse Outcome After Sport-Related Concussion.

Background: It is difficult to predict who will experience prolonged health problems after sustaining a sport-related concussion.

Purpose: To synthesize the literature and conduct a gap analysis on the association between preinjury mental health problems and clinical outcome from sport-related concussion.

Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

Risk for Misdiagnosing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Men With Anger Control Problems.

There are no validated or agreed upon criteria for diagnosing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in a living person. In recent years, it has been proposed that anger dyscontrol represents a behavioral clinical phenotype of CTE. This is the first study to examine the specificity of the diagnostic research criteria for traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES, the clinical condition proposed to be CTE) in men from the US general population who have anger dyscontrol problems.

White Matter Abnormalities in Retired Professional Rugby League Players with a History of Concussion.

The topic of potential long-term neurological consequences from having multiple concussions during a career in collision sports is controversial. We sought to investigate white matter microstructure using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in retired professional Australian National Rugby League (NRL) players ( = 11) with a history of multiple self-reported concussions compared with age- and education-matched controls ( = 13) who have had no history of brain trauma. Diffusion-weighted images were acquired with a Siemens 3T scanner.

Functional Connectivity Changes in Retired Rugby League Players: A Data-Driven Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

There is considerable interest in the long-term brain health of retired contact and collision sport athletes; however, little is known about possible underlying changes in functional brain connectivity in this group. We evaluated whole-brain functional connectivity patterns using multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) to determine whether alterations in functional connectivity distinguish retired professional athletes from a matched group of healthy community control subjects. Thirty-two retired athletes with a history of multiple self-reported sport-related concussions and 36 healthy community control subjects who were similar in age and education, completed functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Task-related functional magnetic resonance imaging activations in patients with acute and subacute mild traumatic brain injury: A coordinate-based meta-analysis.

Task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been used to examine neuroanatomical and functional changes following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Prior studies have lacked consistency in identifying common regions of altered neural activity during cognitive tasks. This may be partly due to differences in task paradigm, patient heterogeneity, and methods of fMRI analysis.