P1-370: Monitoring the biochemical aftermath of boxing by cerebrospinal fluid analyses

Abstract

There is an increasing body of evidence that professional boxing can lead to acute and chronic brain injury with dementia. The possible risks of amateur boxing are largely unknown. We aimed at investigating levels of biochemical markers specific for central nervous system damage in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from amateur boxers. We collected CSF from 14 boxers (11 males and 3 females, age 22 years SD=3.8) one week after boxing and following a 3 month resting period. CSF was analyzed for total–tau (T–tau), hyperphosphorylated–tau (P–tau), Aβ40 and Aβ42, neurofilament–light (NFL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Healthy non–boxers (n=10, all male, age 30 years, SD=6.3) were included as controls. Mean levels of GFAP and NFL, markers for astrocytes and neuronal axons, were significantly increased after bout (541, SD=199 and 845.0, SD=1143, respectively) compared with after rest (405, SD=138 and 208, SD=108, p=0.003 and p=0.008, respectively) and controls (402, SD=88.8 ng/L and <125 ng/L, p=0.037 and p<0.0001, respectively). The increase in CSF NFL after bout was also related to number and severity of hits. No significant differences after fight or rest were found for any of the other biomarkers, except for T–Tau which was higher after bout compared with rest (449, SD=176 and 306, SD=78.1 ng/L, respectively, p=0.003). To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that acute neuronal and axonal injury caused by amateur boxing can be directly identified and monitored. CSF analyses may serve as the scientific basis for medical counselling of athletes after boxing.