Soccer "heading" linked to greater long-term brain damage
Playing soccer, especially using the head for passing and receiving, known as heading, may cause greater brain damage than previously thought, American scientists have revealed. They studied soccer players who had not experienced concussions or strokes, and the results clearly indicated disorders.
Playing soccer, especially heading, may cause greater brain damage than previously thought. This was revealed at the Radiological Society of North America conference. The Polish Press Agency reported the details.
"Heading" is a widely used technique by soccer players. In recent years, more studies suggest a link between it and neurodegenerative diseases, such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Many goals scored this way have gone down in history. Goals were scored this way by Robert Lewandowski, Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and many other amazing figures.
Repeated head impacts in sports may have far-reaching effects beyond what was once understood. Dr. Michael Lipton, a researcher from Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York and co-author of the study, highlighted concerns about the long-term consequences of such activities, according to the Polish Press Agency.
To determine how repeated head impacts affect the brain, scientists compared MRI scans of the brains of 352 amateur soccer players aged 18 to 53 with MRI images of 77 athletes engaging in non-collision sports, such as runners. They observed that soccer players who used the heading technique had abnormalities in the brain's white matter, particularly in the frontal lobe, which was associated with poorer outcomes in verbal learning.
Dr. Lipton explained that their analysis identified disruptions in white matter as the key factor behind the decline in cognitive function. Notably, most participants in the study had no history of concussions or diagnosed brain injuries. This indicates that even minor, repeated head impacts, without causing significant injuries, can negatively affect the brain and influence future cognitive abilities.
Scientists believe that their research results can be applied to other contact sports, where there are repeated, even very minor, head injuries. According to Dr. Lipton, identifying the risk may contribute to increasing the safety of athletes. The next phase of research is underway. Scientists will investigate protective factors that could mitigate the negative effects of heading.
