Symptomatic Concussions, Depression, and Impulsivity in Fighters with a Family History of Dementia

Background Professional boxers and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters regularly sustain blunt force trauma to the head leading to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and concussion; therefore, fighters are at high risk for chronic traumatic encephalopathy and neurodegenerative disease. Family history of dementia (fhD) may significantly modulate fighter response to TBI. Genetic polymorphisms associated with dementia have been reported to modulate an individual’s response to brain injury and to influence emotionality, risk‐taking, and cognition. A recent study in male college athletes found that fhD predisposed athletes to poorer recovery after concussion and to decrements in impulse control following injury. Furthermore, in a population‐based cohort study from the Netherlands, researchers found that parental history of dementia led to increased rates of depression in mid‐life. The present study aims to investigate how fhD in fighters may relate to history of symptomatic concussions, depression, and impulsivity. Methods Using data from the Professional Fighters Brain Health Study (longitudinal cohort study of fighters), we included active, professional boxers and MMA fighters (n = 198) for cross‐sectional analyses. The latest study visits with available data were utilized to generate multivariate regression analyses examining the number of self‐reported symptomatic concussions in a fighter’s career, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)‐9 scores, and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11 (BIS‐11) scores, adjusting for age, sex, education, and number of professional fights. Results FhD was significantly associated with more symptomatic concussions during one’s career (p