Alterations in knee sensorimotor brain functional connectivity contributes to ACL injury in male high-school football players: a prospective neuroimaging analysis.

Objective: This study's purpose was to utilize a prospective dataset to examine differences in functional brain connectivity in male high school athletes who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury relative to their non-injured peers.

Methods: Sixty-two male high school football players were evaluated using functional magnetic resonance imaging prior to their competitive season to evaluate resting-state functional brain connectivity. Three athletes later experienced an ACL injury and were matched to 12 teammates who did not go on to sustain an ACL injury (controls) based on school, age, height, weight, and year in school.

Brain Network Activation as a Novel Biomarker for the Return-to-Play Pathway Following Sport-Related Brain Injury.

Children and adolescent athletes are at a higher risk for concussion than adults, and also experience longer recovery times and increased associated symptoms. It has also recently been demonstrated that multiple, seemingly mild concussions may result in exacerbated and prolonged neurological deficits. Objective assessments and return-to-play criteria are needed to reduce risk and morbidity associated with concussive events in these populations.