Multisensory perception is not influenced by previous concussion history in retired rugby union players.

BACKGROUND: To assess whether concussion history adversely affects multisensory integration, we compared susceptibility to the Sound-Induced Flash Illusion (SIFI) in retired professional rugby players compared to controls. METHODS: Retired professional rugby players ((N = 58) and retired international rowers (N = 26) completed a self-report concussion history questionnaire and the SIFI task. Susceptibility to the SIFI (i.e., perceiving two flashes in response to one flash paired with two beeps) was assessed at three stimulus onset asynchronies (70 ms, 150 ms or 230 ms).Logistic mixed-effects regression modeling was implemented to evaluate how athlete grouping, previous concussion history and total number of years playing sport, impacted the susceptibility to the SIFI task. The statistical significance of a fixed effect of interest was determined by a likelihood ratio test. RESULTS: Former rugby players had significantly more self-reported concussions than the rower group (p < 0.001). There was no impact of athlete grouping (i.e., retired professional rugby players and retired international rowers), years participation in elite sport or concussion history on performance in the SIFI. CONCLUSION: A career in professional rugby, concussion history or number of years participating in professional rugby was not found to be predictive of performance on the SIFI task.

Midlife hypertension is a risk factor for some, but not all, domains of cognitive decline in later life: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Management of midlife blood pressure and hypertension status may provide a window of intervention to mitigate cognitive decline with advancing age. The aim of this review was to investigate the relationship between midlife hypertension and cognition in midlife and later life. METHODS: Online electronic databases were searched from their inception to May 2022. Studies assessing midlife (40-65 years) hypertension and cognition at mid and/or later-life were included. A random effects meta-analysis was deemed appropriate. RESULTS: One hundred forty-nine studies across 26 countries were included. Qualitative synthesis found negative relationships between midlife hypertension and later life cognition in the domains of memory, executive function, and global cognition. Metanalytical evidence revealed midlife hypertension negatively impacts memory, executive function, and global cognition but had no observed effect on attention at midlife. DISCUSSION: Hypertension at midlife has a significant negative impact on cognition in mid-life and later life, namely memory, executive function, and global cognition.