Altered resting state functional connectivity in high-contact sports

Repetitive head impact exposure during contact sports may increase risk of cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disease. We compared resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) networks between a group of high-contact collegiate PAC-12 athletes and a low-contact group from two institutions (groups comprised athletes of multiple sports and both sexes). A community chi-squared analysis evaluated differences in connectivity within/between 12 brain networks comparing high- vs. low-contact sports. Across both institutions, rsFC in the high-contact cohort was significantly increased (hyperconnectivity) between dorsal attention and default mode network (DMN), and significantly decreased (hypoconnectivity) between dorsal attention and frontoparietal networks, compared to the low-contact cohort.