Table 2.
Diffusion-tensor imaging brain outcomes in the study groups.
| Mean diffusivity | Controls (n=21) |
Athletes (n=21) |
95% CI | p-value | Effect size* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM-SA | 1.1 (.07) | 1.1 (.016) | −0.14 – 0.07 | .968 | 0.29 |
| Whole brain | .99 (.05) | 1 (.00006) | −0.05 – 0.02 | .545 | 0.28 |
| GM | 1.1 (.06) | 1.1 (.07) | −0.05 – 0.03 | .745 | 0.14 |
| WM | .89 (.04) | .90 (.05) | −0.04 – 0.02 | .500 | 0.22 |
| Total DGM | 1 (.05) | .97 (.05) | −0.03 – 0.03 | .999 | 0.60 |
| Thalamus | . 98 (.06) | .98 (.05) | −0.03 – 0.04 | .877 | 0.03 |
| Caudate | .99 (.08) | .97 (.08) | −0.03 – 0.07 | .700 | 0.25 |
| Putamen | .87 (.06) | .88 (.06) | −0.04 – 0.03 | .841 | 0.17 |
| Globus Pallidus | .5 (.069) | .87 (.03) | −0.05 – 0.02 | .127 | 6.95 |
| Hippocampus | 1.1 (.06) | 1.1 (.09) | −0.07 – 0.03 | .888 | 0.26 |
| Amygdala | .97 (.06) | .97 (.06) | −0.04 – 0.03 | .807 | 0.06 |
| Accumbens | .89 (.06) | .91 (.08) | −0.06 – 0.03 | .350 | 0.28 |
| Fractional anisotropy |
Controls (n=21) |
Athletes (n=21) |
95% CI | p-value | Effect Size* |
| WM-SA | .289 (.039) | .277 (.085) | −0.045 – 0.072 | .833 | 0.18 |
| Whole brain | .258 (.013) | .254 (.013) | −0.004 – 0.012 | .344 | 0.31 |
| GM | .171 (.009) | .173 (.013) | −0.007 – 0.005 | .613 | 0.18 |
| WM | .338 (.020) | .323 (.020) | −0.003 – 0.022 | .470 | 0.75 |
| Total DGM | .273 (.017) | .271 (.015) | −0.008 – 0.012 | .835 | 0.12 |
| Thalamus | .326 (.023) | .326 (.013) | −0.012 – 0.012 | .620 | 0.01 |
| Caudate | .252 (.033) | .256 (.034) | −0.025 – 0.017 | .441 | 0.12 |
| Putamen | .249 (.020) | .244 (.018) | −0.006 – 0.018 | .337 | 0.26 |
| Globus Pallidus | .394 (.042) | .371 (.039) | −0.002 – 0.049 | .056 | 0.57 |
| Hippocampus | .180 (.014) | .179 (.018) | −0.009 – 0.011 | .399 | 0.06 |
| Amygdala | .184 (.016) | .179 (.013) | −0.004 – 0.014 | .067 | 0.34 |
| Accumbens | .232 (.022) | .231 (.034) | −0.017 – 0.019 | .311 | 0.03 |
WM-SA – white matter signal abnormality; GM – gray matter, WM – white matter; DGM – deep gray matter.
The values are presented as mean (SD). Diffusivity is given in 10−3 mm2/sec. FA is a dimensionless measure.
The differences between the groups were tested using analysis of co-variance adjusted for age, body-mass-index and education (p-value adjusted). 95% confidence interval (CI) are reported for the mean group difference.
*
Effect size estimates calculated using Cohen’s d and Cramer’s V.