{
  "abstract": "Structural differences observed in collision-sport athletes may reflect repetitive head-impact exposure, broader effects of athletic training, or pre-existing individual variation, making inclusion of a non-collision athlete group important for interpretation of any differences seen. Here, structural T1-weighted MRI data from 17 collegiate American football players, 16 cross-country runners, and 9 non-athletes were analyzed using FSL voxel-based morphometry (VBM), FIRST subcortical volumetry and vertex-wise shape analysis, and FAST whole-brain tissue segmentation. Spatial inference used permutation testing with threshold-free cluster enhancement and family-wise error correction, while scalar analyses used multiplicity-corrected procedures. FAST-derived absolute tissue volumes were also examined in a sensitivity analysis adjusting for FreeSurfer estimated total intracranial volume (eTIV). VBM showed recurrent brainstem-centered differences, with non-athletes showing greater local gray matter measures than both athlete groups, whereas football players showed greater brainstem measures than runners. FIRST vertex-wise analysis identified corrected differences involving the brainstem and selected subcortical structures, while no total FIRST structure volume survived false discovery rate correction. Unadjusted FAST analysis identified a CSF group effect, F(2, 24.38) = 11.46, p < .001, q = .001. After eTIV adjustment, the CSF group effect remained, F(2, 38) = 14.30, q < .001, and a white matter group effect was also identified, F(2, 38) = 9.59, q < .001; gray matter and total segmented tissue did not show corrected adjusted effects. These findings indicate that structural variation depends on anatomical scale, comparison group, and head-size adjustment and cannot be attributed uniquely to collision-sport exposure.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "A. Guchait"
    },
    {
      "name": "C.-Y. Chen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "N. G. Muggleton"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e4awe9dkvtm8k.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.01.756138",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.01.756138v1.full",
  "id": "e4awe9dkvtm8k",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.01.756138v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "neuroscience"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2741|Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220869467",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.01.756138v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e4awe9dkvtm8k.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:26:27Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.01.756138",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.01.756138v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:neuroscience",
      "subfield": "neuroscience"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Multiscale structural MRI differences among collegiate American football players, cross-country runners, and non-athletes",
  "title_text": "Multiscale structural MRI differences among collegiate American football players, cross-country runners, and non-athletes",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:26:27Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e4awe9dkvtm8k",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}