Version 1
: Received: 21 March 2023 / Approved: 22 March 2023 / Online: 22 March 2023 (10:23:44 CET)
How to cite:
Semple, B.; Panagiotopoulou, O. Cranial Bone Changes Induced by Mild Head Impacts: A Neglected Player in Concussion Outcomes?. Preprints2023, 2023030395. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202303.0395.v1
Semple, B.; Panagiotopoulou, O. Cranial Bone Changes Induced by Mild Head Impacts: A Neglected Player in Concussion Outcomes?. Preprints 2023, 2023030395. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202303.0395.v1
Semple, B.; Panagiotopoulou, O. Cranial Bone Changes Induced by Mild Head Impacts: A Neglected Player in Concussion Outcomes?. Preprints2023, 2023030395. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202303.0395.v1
APA Style
Semple, B., & Panagiotopoulou, O. (2023). <strong></strong>Cranial Bone Changes Induced by Mild Head Impacts: A Neglected Player in Concussion Outcomes?. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202303.0395.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Semple, B. and Olga Panagiotopoulou. 2023 "<strong></strong>Cranial Bone Changes Induced by Mild Head Impacts: A Neglected Player in Concussion Outcomes?" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202303.0395.v1
Abstract
Mild impacts to the head, particularly when repetitive in nature, are increasingly recognized to have a range of significant negative implications for brain health. Much of the ongoing research in the field is focused on the neurological consequences of these injuries, and the relationship between head impacts and long-term neurodegenerative conditions such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy and Alzheimer’s disease. However, our understanding of the complex relationship between applied mechanical force at impact, brain pathophysiology, and neurological function, remains incomplete. Past research has shown that mild head impacts, even below the threshold that results in cranial fracture, induce changes in cranial bone structure and morphology. These structural and physiological changes likely have implications for the transmission of mechanical force into the underlying brain parenchyma. Here, we review this evidence in the context of the current understanding of bone mechanosensitivity and the consequences of traumatic brain injuries or concussions. We postulate that heterogeneity of the calvarium including differing bone thickness due to prior impacts, age, or individual variability, may be a modulator of outcomes following subsequent head impacts. We advocate for greater consideration of cranial responses to head injury in both experimental and computer modeling of impact biomechanics, and raise the hypothesis that calvarial bone thickness represents a novel biomarker of brain injury vulnerability after head trauma.
Medicine and Pharmacology, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
