A multimodal assessment of the long-term effects of concussions in adults over age fifty
| dc.contributor.author | Snowden-Richardson, Taylor | |
| dc.contributor.supervisor | Christie, Brian R. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-07-11T20:09:29Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-07-11T20:09:29Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.degree.department | Division of Medical Sciences | |
| dc.degree.department | School of Medical Sciences | |
| dc.degree.level | Doctor of Philosophy PhD | |
| dc.description.abstract | Concussion, a form of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is often viewed as a transient event with limited long-term impact. However, growing evidence suggests that concussions may carry lasting neurobiological consequences, particularly in older adults. This dissertation explores the long-term effects of concussion in adults over the age of fifty using a multimodal research framework that includes a systematic review and meta-analysis, a cross-sectional observational study, and a cognitive training intervention. Chapter two presents a comprehensive metaanalysis examining whether a history of mTBI is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia. The analysis included over 18,000 mTBI cases and revealed that individuals with prior mTBI are nearly twice as likely to develop dementia compared to those without, supporting the classification of concussion as a significant environmental risk factor for neurodegeneration. Chapter three investigated cognitive performance, brain structure, and serum biomarkers in older adults with and without a history of concussion. While traditional cognitive testing did not show significant group-level differences, participants with concussion histories exhibited relationships between levels of neurofilament light chain and decreased white matter integrity, suggesting ongoing or residual neural vulnerability that may not yet be behaviorally apparent. Chapter four evaluated whether a 12-week cognitive training intervention could support brain health and plasticity in aging adults. The program led to a significant increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor, although cognitive and structural outcomes remained unchanged. These findings highlight the potential for targeted neuroplasticity interventions in at-risk individuals. Together, these studies provide converging evidence that having a history of concussion is associated with both increased dementia risk and subtle, persistent changes in brain health. The results underscore the importance of early identification, ongoing monitoring, and the development of preventative strategies to support cognitive aging in individuals with a history of concussion. | |
| dc.description.embargo | 2026-06-25 | |
| dc.description.scholarlevel | Graduate | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1828/22474 | |
| dc.language | English | eng |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.rights | Available to the World Wide Web | |
| dc.subject | Concussion | |
| dc.subject | Dementia | |
| dc.subject | Mild Traumatic Brain Injury | |
| dc.title | A multimodal assessment of the long-term effects of concussions in adults over age fifty | |
| dc.type | Thesis |