Sports Related Head Trauma Causes Loss in Memory

Story first appeared on Physical Therapy Products.

Recently released research suggests there might be a point at which blows to the head or other head trauma suffered in combat sports begins to affect memory and thinking abilities. This new study, which is scheduled to be presented as part of the Emerging Science program at the American Academy of Neurology’s 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21-28, goes on to say that head trauma can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in the brain.

The author of the study and a member of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), St. Paul, Minn, says that while it already known boxing and other sports are linked to brain damage, little is known about how this process develops and who may be on the path to developing CTE. Although CTE is only diagnosed through autopsy after death, symptoms include memory loss, aggression, and difficulty thinking.

For the study, data from 35 boxers and 43 mixed martial arts athletes with an average age of 29 years who were a part of the ongoing Professional Fighters Brain Health Study were examined. The participants took computer tests that measured memory and thinking skills, as well as underwent MRI brain scans. In addition, researchers recorded years of fighting and number of fights for each participant based on self-reporting and published records. They then split the participants into two groups: those who fought for 9 years or fewer and those who had been fighting for more than 9 years.

According to the results, in both groups those with more years of fighting and more fights per year were more likely to have lower brain volumes in three areas of the brain. In those who had spent less time in the industry, no relationship was found between years of fighting or the number of fights per year and the results on memory and thinking tests. However, among those who had fought for 9 years or more, the individuals who had more fights per year performed worse on the thinking and memory tests than those with fewer fights per year.

There appears to be a threshold at which continued repetitive blows to the brain begin to cause measurable changes in memory and thinking, despite brain volume changes that can be found earlier.

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Hope for Seniors arrives in 'Memory Pill'

Daily Mail

 

A pill that prevents so-called ‘senior moments’ is being developed by British doctors.

Taken later in life, it could put an end to forgetting where the car keys are, or not being able to remember names.

The drug, which is aimed principally at absent-mindedness rather than brain diseases, has already been tested on animals.

It could go to human trials next year and, if these are successful, be on the market within five years.

Jonathan Seckl, who led the research at Edinburgh University, said: ‘A third of older people have what is euphemistically called mild cognitive impairment.

‘But it is a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and it is also pretty frustrating if you can’t remember what you left the house to do or where you put your keys.

‘It is soul-destroying and memory clinics are full of patients who are deeply frustrated by being unable to remember things.’

Such problems are at least partially due to high levels of stress hormones, including cortisol, damaging the brain’s ‘memory hub’.

Professor Seckl has shown that an enzyme called 11beta-HSD1 boosts levels of cortisol and he created the drug to stop that happening.

Known as UOE1961, it sharpened the minds of elderly mice to such an extent that they were as good as much younger creatures at performing tests of memory and learning.

What is more, the animals were treated for only two weeks, the Journal of Neuroscience reports.

Professor Seckl, who was funded by the Wellcome Trust, said: ‘They were coming toward the end of their lifespan and had profound deficits in their ability to learn things.

‘We turned them back to being as good as young animals, which was very exciting. What that teaches us is that that sort of memory loss is not irreversible.’

It is too early to know what side-effects UOE1961 will have.

But, on the plus side, reducing levels of stress hormones is likely to be good for the heart.

It is thought the drug will work only on the ageing brain – meaning it will not help young people cram for exams.

Exercise Improves Memory For Older Women

Guardian UK

Exercise might improve mental sharpness for older people starting to suffer from memory loss, researchers say. However, the benefits were seen mainly in women, and required an intensive, six-month exercise programme.
 

What do we know already?
Researchers have hoped for some time that exercise might have positive effects for the brain, perhaps by improving blood flow. If the benefits were proven, exercise would be used as a way for older people to prevent memory loss, or even Alzheimer's disease.

So far, research shows that older people who are more active are less likely to have memory problems, but it may just be that healthier, mentally sharper people find it easier to get out and exercise. There have also been some promising animal studies.

In a new trial, researchers asked older adults with slight memory problems to complete a six-month, high-intensity aerobic exercise programme. People exercised for up to an hour, supervised by a trainer, four times a week. They were compared with a second group, who did a more relaxed set of stretching exercises. The average age was 70.
 

What does the new study say?
Women who exercised intensively improved more in tests looking at things like memory and verbal fluency, compared with women who just did stretching. The researchers don't say whether the improvements were large enough to make a difference in day-to-day life.

For men, there was no clear improvement in most of the tests, despite the fact that men's fitness levels had improved the same amount as the women.
 

How reliable are the findings?
The main problem with the study is that it's very small. It started with just 33 people in total, and four dropped out before the end. Studies with fewer people tend to be less reliable, especially when you're looking at treatments that only have a small effect.

Where does the study come from?
Several of the researchers were based at the University of Washington, in Seattle. The study appeared in Archives of Neurology, published by the American Medical Association.

Funding came from the US Department of Veterans Affairs, and from the Alzheimer's Association.
 

What does this mean for me?
The exercise programme used in the trial was quite strenuous. People had been carefully selected to be able to cope, but even so, four of the 23 people doing the intensive programme dropped out because of problems like chest or joint pain. So, it might be that not all older people would be able to complete this type of exercise programme.

The people in the study were aged between 55 and 85, and all had mild problems with their memory. So, we don't know if the results apply to healthy people, or to people with serious memory problems because of Alzheimer's disease.

What should I do now?

It's still too early to say what effects exercise has on how mentally sharp you are. But we know that exercise can protect your health and help keep you fit generally, so it makes sense to stay as active as your health allows. Government guidelines recommend about 30 minutes' exercise, five days a week.
 

From:

Baker LD, Frank LL, Foster-Schubert K, et al. Effects of aerobic exercise on mild cognitive impairment: a controlled trial. Archives of Neurology.