HYPOPITUITARISM IN RETIRED PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYERS

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中的一个 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目及 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金， 因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为 研究中心，而研究中心不一定是研究者的研究机构。 每年有超过120万美国人遭受创伤性脑损伤（TBI），其中大多数是轻度TBI（MTBI）或脑震荡。反复脑震荡已被确定为神经退行性痴呆症（包括轻度认知障碍（MCI）和阿尔茨海默病（AD））发生（或早期表达）的危险因素。这些疾病的病理生理学尚不清楚，需要进一步研究。 很少受到关注的一个特定领域是重复MTBI可能导致垂体功能障碍（垂体功能减退症）的概念，这反过来又可能是一般健康状况下降，生活质量差和性功能障碍的直接原因。TBI，垂体功能减退，健康状况下降和生活质量差之间的这种联系已经为维持单一中度或重度TBI的个体建立;最近的研究表明，这些更严重的TBI导致高达三分之一的个体垂体功能减退。我们建议研究一组记录生活质量差的退役NFL球员，以确定这些投诉，脑震荡（MTBI）史，垂体激素功能和性功能之间的关系。我们假设在NFL职业生涯中持续的MTBI数量与垂体功能减退症的发生率相关，并且这些个体中未经治疗的垂体功能减退症与生活质量差和一般健康状况，神经行为障碍和性功能障碍相关。这项研究还将确定生理激素替代疗法对诊断为垂体功能减退症的退休人员的可能益处。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. More than 1.2 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) annually, the majority of which are mild TBIs (MTBI) or cerebral concussions. Repeat concussions have been identified as a risk factor for the occurrence (or early expression) of neurodegenerative dementing disorders, including Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer s disease (AD). The pathophysiology of these disorders is unclear and warrants further investigation. One particular area that has received little attention is the concept that repeat MTBI can lead to pituitary dysfunction (hypopituitarism) which in turn can be a direct cause of reduced general health, poor quality of life and sexual dysfunction. This linkage between TBI, hypopituitarism, reduced health and poor quality of life is already well-established for individuals sustaining a single moderate or severe TBI; recent studies indicate that these more severe TBIs lead to hypopituitarism in up to one third of individuals. We propose to study a cohort of retired NFL players who have documented poor quality of life to determine the relationship between these complaints, their concussion (MTBI) history, their pituitary hormonal function and sexual function. We hypothesize that the number of MTBIs sustained in their NFL career will correlate with the rate of hypopituitarism and that untreated hypopituitarism in these individuals will be associated with poor quality of life and general health, neuro-behavioral impairment and sexual dysfunction. This study will also determine the possible benefits of physiological hormone replacement therapy in retirees with diagnosed hypopituitarism.