Are our Olympic soccer players more likely to develop issues in their brains?

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2021-08-03 10:35

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Professional male soccer players may want to rethink their next headers after a British study found that the risk for a neurodegenerative disease - such as dementia - was higher among former pro players with longer careers, compared with us plebs who never went pro. This increased risk was seen in players who didn't play keeper, say the researchers, suggesting it is actions across the field that may lead to the later brain issues. This kind of study cannot prove that playing football directly leads to issues in your noggin down the track, but an associated editorial's authors suggest that for the meantime, we should put forward some strategies directed towards reducing head impacts in the sport.

Media release

From: JAMA

Association of Position, Career Length With Risk of Neurodegenerative Disease in Former Professional Soccer Players

JAMA Neurology
Original Investigation

Association of Field Position and Career Length With Risk of Neurodegenerative Disease in Male Former Professional Soccer Players

JAMA Neurology
Editorial

Professional Soccer and Dementia Risk—The Ugly Side of the Beautiful Game

Media advisory: The full study and editorial are linked to this news release.

What The Study Did: Researchers investigated the association of field position, career length and playing era with risk of neurodegenerative disease among Scottish male former professional soccer players.

Authors: William Stewart, M.B.Ch.B., Ph.D., of the University of Glasgow in Glasgow, United Kingdom, is the corresponding author.

Attachments

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Research JAMA, Web page

Journal/
conference: JAMA Neurology

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: University of Glasgow in Glasgow, UK

Funder: This study received funds from the Football Association and the Professional Footballers Association, as well as funds paid to Dr William Stewart from the National Health Service Research Scotland and the US National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke (grant U54NS115322).

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