KIAA0319 Genotype Predicts the Number of Past Concussions in a Division I Football Team: A Pilot Study.

This candidate gene study evaluated the relationship of a past history of concussion with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in nine genes in a small cohort (N = 87) of a nationally ranked Division I football team. Genes and SNPs studied were selected based on their published connection to brain injury and brain development, as well as impulsivity. We used multinomial logistic regression analysis (MLRA) to quantify how well genotype predicted the number of previously diagnosed concussions (three categories: none, one, two or more), while covarying race and number of years participating in football. The rs4504469 SNP for KIAA0319 was the only locus that significantly predicted number of previously diagnosed concussions (p = 0.005, meeting Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons). The KIAA0319 results raise the hypothesis that having the CT or TT genotype of KIAA0319 may be predictive of a lower incidence of previously diagnosed concussion. This finding raises a number of hypotheses for future pre-clinical research, particularly whether alterations in neural organization related to KIAA0319 rs4504469 lead to reduced susceptibility for lasting head trauma, or greater resilience in the face of repeated subconcussive injury.