Repeated, only slightly potent shocks may potentially harm the brain.
In two groundbreaking studies published this week, researchers have highlighted concerns about the potential long-term effects of repeated minor head impacts in contact sports such as football and soccer.
The first study, published in the prestigious journal Nature, focused on 20 amateur and professional college football players who died before the age of 50. The college football players studied in the research died young, many by suicide or due to accidents or illnesses, and their brains were donated for research. The study revealed that, on average, subjects showed a 56% loss of a specific type of neuron in the frontal cortex, and all 20 college football players showed significant damage to several different types of cells in their brains. This damage included damage to brain blood vessels and changes in immune cells that triggered inflammation.
Dr. Lipton, one of the study's authors, indicates that subclinical changes in brain imaging and cognition are observed in the top 25% or so of soccer players who head the ball frequently. These findings suggest a bias in the brain bank reference sources, where only the most severe cases are represented.
In a separate study published in the journal Neurology, researchers led by Dr. Robert C. Cantu observed the brains of 352 living amateur soccer players using magnetic resonance imaging tests. The study found that damage observed in soccer players involved those who headed the ball thousands of times a year, not those who did it a hundred times.
Dr. Lea Grinberg, another researcher involved in the study, hopes to develop a test that would detect these markers in living people. Dr. Grinberg's work could potentially lead to the identification of possible early warning signs of CTE, a degenerative brain disease that has been linked to repeated head impacts in contact sports.
It's important to note that none of the experts called for an end to contact sports. Instead, they suggest that starting children in contact sports later in life, stopping earlier, or playing flag football instead of tackle football could offer some protection. Dr. Cherry, one of the experts involved in the studies, also suggests that these findings underscore the importance of proper training and equipment to minimise the risk of head injuries.
These studies add to the growing body of evidence linking repeated head impacts to long-term brain damage in college football athletes. As more research is conducted, it's hoped that we will better understand the risks associated with contact sports and develop strategies to mitigate them.
Read also:
- Hospital's Enhancement of Outpatient Services Alleviates Emergency Department Strain
- Increased Chikungunya infections in UK travelers prompt mosquito bite caution
- Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister holds discussions on the prevailing circumstances in Almaty
- In the state, Kaiser Permanente boasts the top-ranked health insurance program
