Sport Related Concussion
Conditions
Keywords
Concussion, Biomarkers, Sport, Instrumented mouthguards
Brief summary
Concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury, accounts for 85% of brain injuries and is common in both professional and amateur sports. It results from kinetic impacts causing a temporary disruption of brain function, often without visible abnormalities on imaging, making diagnosis difficult. The majority of concussions remain undetected, without specific management. To facilitate detection, the development of reliable salivary BMs is essential, as they offer a non-invasive, rapid, and simple method for early identification of biological changes related to concussions.
Detailed description
Concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury, accounts for 85% of brain injuries and is common in both professional and amateur sports. It results from kinetic impacts causing a temporary disruption of brain function, often without visible abnormalities on imaging, making diagnosis difficult. The majority of concussions remain undetected, without specific management. Recently, several molecular biomarkers (BMs) of concussion in high-level athletes have been identified. However, the physiological reference values of these BMs are not yet sufficiently established to allow optimal use of diagnostic tests for concussion. To facilitate detection, the development of reliable salivary BMs is essential, as they offer a non-invasive, rapid, and simple method for early identification of biological changes related to concussions. It is also crucial to correlate these changes with the physical forces experienced by players during impacts. Indeed, the literature indicates that concussions can result from rapid head movements, often caused by violent linear and angular accelerations/decelerations, even if indirect.
Interventions
DIAGNOSTIC_TESTAnalyze correlations between the measurements of the variations in biomarkers with those obtained by an instrumented mouthguard measuring accelerations.
Nucleic acids will be extracted from the participants' saliva using a commercial extraction kit (Qiagen). The miRNAs will then be analyzed by RT-qPCR. The miRNAs will first undergo a reverse transcription step to generate complementary DNAs. Then, using specific primers, the complementary DNAs will be amplified and measured by quantitative PCR (qPCR). The levels of proteins of interest (NSE, UCHL1, and GFAP) will be measured in the participants' saliva using enzymatic assay methods or ELISA-type methods carried out using commercial kits. An instrumented mouthguard will measure the intensity (acceleration) and the number of impacts sustained by each player during matches.
Sponsors
Sys2Diag
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
19 Years to 20 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Male subject * Subject aged between 19 and 20 years * Subject willing to follow the study procedures * Subject capable of understanding the purpose, nature, and methodology of the study * Subject affiliated with a French social security scheme or a beneficiary of such a scheme * Subject who has signed the non-opposition to participation in the research * Subject who has signed the informed consent for salivary micro-RNA analysis * Subject selected in the French under-20 rugby team (U20).
Exclusion criteria
* Subject not affiliated with a French Social Security scheme or not a beneficiary of such a scheme * Subject deprived of liberty, protected adults, vulnerable persons, or minors * Subject with proven or suspected chronic infectious disease that may pose a risk of contamination during sample handling (laboratories not equipped to handle this type of sample) * Subject suffering from Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome (dry syndrome) * Refusal to sign the non-opposition * Refusal to sign the informed consent for salivary micro-RNA analysis. Specific Non-Inclusion Criteria: * Subject who has suffered a recent stroke or epileptic event (within the last two months) * Subject suffering from neurological diseases.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Assess the intensity and number of impacts | 3 Years | The primary objective is to assess whether the intensity and number of impacts (acceleration forces) sustained by players during high-intensity matches are correlated with a variation in the profiles of salivary biomarkers (proteins and short nucleic acids) described for concussion, which will be measured before and after a match in professional rugby players (U20). |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Measure the concentration of salivary BMs | 3 Years | Measure the concentration of salivary BMs during competitive matches such as the Six Nations Tournament of the French under-20 rugby team (U20) to determine the physiological values of the biomarkers. |
| Measure the acceleration and deceleration forces | 3 Years | Measure the acceleration and deceleration forces experienced by players during these matches, as well as their number. |
| Compare the profiles of BMs | 3 Years | Compare the profiles of BMs in the saliva of professional sports players before and after each match. |
Countries
France
Contacts
CONTACTWendpouiré A OUEDRAOGO, MSc
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORMalik KAHLI, PhD
Sys2Diag
Outcome results
None listed