A CHIRI-led research collaboration at Curtin University has found a new link between sub-concussion and motor dysfunction in a study designed to replicate the impact suffered by some sport players.

Recently published in the journal Frontiers in Neurology, the research is led by CHIRI’s Associate Professor Ryu Takechi, from Curtin’s School of Public Health, whose team worked in collaboration with Professor Melinda Fitzgerald’s team from the Perron/Sarich Neuroscience Institute and CHIRI, and several other Curtin researchers.

The multi-disciplinary team has developed a novel model to understand more about the potential effects of low-grade cranial impact on neuromotor function.

The study found that only the repeated modest sub-concussion over a period of 12 weeks showed neuromotor deficits, while short-term periods such as two weeks had no effect.

Sport is a way of life for Australia, however little is known about potential risks associated with repeated head impact later in life.

The findings raise awareness of the need to consider health risks associated with long-term exposure of even modest but repeated head impact situations.

More about the research, including a link to the full paper, here.