Concussion symptom history linked to increased odds of tinnitus

Greater concussion symptom history is associated with increased odds of tinnitus, and associations with cognition, depression, and anxiety are larger among those with tinnitus, according to a study published online June 19 inSports Medicine Open.

Niki A. Konstantinides, Ph.D., from Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional study involving former American-style football players who contracted with a professional league after 1960 and completed self-administered questionnaires between 2019 and 2025. Football exposure, auditory dysfunction, and mental health were assessed, and cumulative head injury exposure was measured based on self-reported concussion signs and symptoms during play.

The researchers found that greater concussion symptom history was associated with increased odds of tinnitus among 1,085 participants (highest versus lowest quintile: odds ratio, 2.90). The associations between concussion symptom history and neurobehavioral outcomes were not mediated by tinnitus. Participants reporting tinnitus had larger associations with perceived cognition, depression, and anxiety.

“This finding suggests the possibility that if tinnitus symptoms could be avoided or reduced, adverse effects of past concussion history on neurobehavioral outcomes could also be mitigated, providing a potential intervention for those with a past history of head injuries,” the authors write.

One author disclosed ties to the sports industry; a second author disclosed ties to the health technology industry.

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