PONE-D-24-14875Self-reported concussion history is not related to cortical volume in college athletes.PLOS ONE

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PLOS ONE

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Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: No

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4. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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5. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: Well written and properly conducted research. This topic is of interest to the area of publication. There are a number of limitations, but they have been properly addressed in the paper. Statistical analysis was appropriate

Reviewer #2: The manuscript presents a thorough investigation of the relationship between concussion history and cortical volume in collegiate athletes. Some positive aspects of the paper were that design is robust, particularly in terms of MRI acquisition and the use of both region- and network-level analyses. The null results are well-supported by the data, and the inclusion of Bayesian statistics strengthens the reliability of these findings. The literature contains a variety of findings on the topic, and a more detailed discussion of potential reasons for the lack of observed differences would improve the manuscript.

While the general topic, studying the relationship between concussion history and cortical volume, is interesting, and make the paper potentially publishable. However, I do have some concerns that I will list below.

Abstract: The abstract would benefit from including essential details such as the age range of the participants and a clear description of the methodology used for data collection. While the number of participants is mentioned, the lack of these additional details leaves the reader without crucial information about the study's design and population. Including this will provide a more comprehensive overview of the study.

Introduction: The introduction requires an additional opening paragraph that contextualizes the general area of research. This paragraph should define a concussion, explain its impact on individuals, and highlight its occurrence in sports-related activities. Establishing this foundational knowledge is critical to emphasizing the importance of studying concussions.

Furthermore, the final paragraph of the introduction should be restructured. It is recommended to split it into two paragraphs for better coherence. Specifically, the argument beginning with "The goal of the current project was to..." would benefit from more precise development, with a conclusion that directly supports the study's significance. In addition, when referencing "Few studies have examined...," it would be more robust to provide specific examples or references to relevant studies, offering readers a clearer understanding of the existing research landscape. Briefly mentioning the study's methodology in this section would enhance its clarity.

Methods: The methods section is well-detailed, but some improvements can be made. For example, in the section that discusses the statistical methods, it would be helpful to specify the tools used for analysis (e.g., IBM SPSS or other relevant software). Additionally, the period over which the data was collected should be clearly stated, as this is important for understanding the study's temporal scope and reliability.

Conclusion: While the study's value is evident, the conclusion could be further strengthened by expanding on future research opportunities. Rather than offering just one suggestion, exploring additional areas for further study would be beneficial, as this will provide more direction for ongoing research in this field.

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Reviewer #1: Yes: Eric Schussler

Reviewer #2: No

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Self-reported concussion history is not related to cortical volume in college athletes.

PONE-D-24-14875R1

Dear Dr. Schultz,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

Within one week, you’ll receive an e-mail detailing the required amendments. When these have been addressed, you’ll receive a formal acceptance letter and your manuscript will be scheduled for publication.

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Kind regards,

Monika Błaszczyszyn

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. If the authors have adequately addressed your comments raised in a previous round of review and you feel that this manuscript is now acceptable for publication, you may indicate that here to bypass the “Comments to the Author” section, enter your conflict of interest statement in the “Confidential to Editor” section, and submit your "Accept" recommendation.

Reviewer #2: All comments have been addressed

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2. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #2: Yes

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3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

4. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #2: Yes

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5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.

Reviewer #2: Yes

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6. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #2: Thank you for your detailed responses to my comments and for addressing the suggested revisions. I have reviewed your responses and the modifications made to the manuscript, and I find them satisfactory.

I appreciate your effort in improving the quality of the paper, and I approve the revisions. Wishing you success with your research and publication.

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7. PLOS authors have the option to publish the peer review history of their article (what does this mean?). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

If you choose “no”, your identity will remain anonymous but your review may still be made public.

Do you want your identity to be public for this peer review? For information about this choice, including consent withdrawal, please see our Privacy Policy.

Reviewer #2: No

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