Evidence mapPaperPMID 42377762Full record

ArticleSports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)2026

Polygenic Score Identifies Athletes at Increased Risk for Slower Recovery After Sport-Related Concussion: A Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium Study.

Zhiqi Zhang, Jill L Reiter, Kelly N H Nudelman, Dongbing Lai, Thomas W McAllister, Michael A McCrea, Steven P Broglio, Paul F Pasquina, Jie Ren, Yunlong Liu and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Zhiqi ZhangCenter for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-7214-1959
Jill L ReiterCenter for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5460-2355
Kelly N H NudelmanDepartment of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4040-1717
Dongbing LaiCenter for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7803-580X
Thomas W McAllisterDepartment of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0267-3076
Michael A McCreaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9791-9475
Steven P BroglioMichigan Concussion Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2282-9325
Paul F PasquinaDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2898-0082
Jie RenCenter for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA. jr117@iu.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7823-6262
Yunlong LiuCenter for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA. yunliu@iu.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2699-626X
CARE Consortium Investigators

Funding

U.S. Department of Defense W81XWH1420151U.S. Department of Defense W81XWH1820047
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEmerging evidence suggests that genetic variations contribute to individual differences in concussion recovery. A polygenic score (PGS) can capture the cumulative effect of multiple genetic variants, providing a partial explanation for individual differences in recovery times.

objectivesIn this study, our primary objective was to investigate the association between a PGS and recovery time following sport- or military activity-related concussion to better understand the genetic influences on recovery and inform personalized treatment strategies.

methodsGenome-wide genotyping data from collegiate athletes and military cadets with confirmed sport- or military activity-related concussions were obtained from the CARE Consortium study (N = 4659). A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted on the discovery cohort (n = 768 samples) to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with time to return-to-play initiation (RTPi) after concussion using log-logistic accelerated failure time (AFT) models, adjusted for demographic and injury-related factors, and the first five principal components of genetic ancestries. Linkage disequilibrium-clumped SNPs with the lowest p values were selected and further refined using a robust variable selection method under a multivariable AFT model, resulting in the final set of SNPs. The PGS was constructed from this final set of SNPs and validated in an independent validation cohort (n = 262 samples) for time to RTPi. The validation was extended to the biologically relevant slow RTPi outcome (≥ 14 days) using a logistic regression model. We also tested the PGS for association with time to return-to-play (RTP) and slow RTP (≥ 28 days) as secondary outcomes. A Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis was performed on the selected SNPs to identify relevant biological processes.

resultsThe PGS was constructed using 49 SNPs. We found that higher PGS was significantly associated with a longer time to RTPi after concussion (p = 0.001), where each standard deviation increase in the PGS was associated with a 12% longer time to RTPi. The PGS was significantly associated with a slow RTPi recovery (≥ 14 days), with each standard deviation increase corresponding to an 82% higher odds of delayed recovery (p = 0.002). No significant associations were observed between PGS and RTP outcomes. GO enrichment analysis highlighted synaptic mechanisms related to organization, signaling, and neuronal repair, which are critical for restoring neural communication during the healing process.

conclusionsHigher PGS is significantly associated with longer recovery time after concussion. This finding provides novel genetic insights for developing personalized treatment strategies to reduce the burden of prolonged recovery from concussion injury.

Identifiers

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.