Soccer is hard on the brain: Heading the ball may impair the player’s memory

Soccer vs the brain: In this match, the soccer player’s reaction time and attention may be the losers. This is shown by a current Croatian study which was presented at the congress of the European Academy of Neurology in Berlin.

Berlin, 23 June 2015 – Heading the ball is not good for the brain. Even when the heads of soccer players are exposed to collisions or blows too frequently, these slight, but recurring concussions result in attention deficit in the long term. This is suggested by a Croatian study which was presented at the 1st Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) in Berlin. More than 6,500 experts from all over the world are discussing the newest developments in their field in the German capital city from 20 to 23 June.

Soccer players do less well in cognitive tests

Dr Boris Radic of the Medical Faculty of the University of Zagreb and his team examined 70 persons with no soccer experience, and compared them to an equally large control group of amateur soccer players who played in a veteran league. This showed the following: „Non-soccer players did significantly better in those cognitive tests which required a high reaction speed and longer attention. Soccer players also lagged behind in all other cognitive tests, with one exception: they did better when the objective was to make rapid decisions“, Dr Radic reported. Furthermore, the group of researchers was able to determine changes in the forehead and temple regions of the brain (frontotemporal region) in the soccer players by means of electroencephalography (EEGs). „These deviations may be associated with the demonstrated cognitive deficit, but cannot be considered specific for this disorder“, Dr Radic explained.

“Previous studies have raised the question of long term deleterious effects on cognition by head injuries – even just consequences of purposeful heading of the ball – sustained during soccer. The complexity of the problem is well explained by Kirkendall et al 2001. The present study from Croatia confirms the concerns”, Prof David B. Vodušek (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Chair of the EAN Liaison Committee, commented the new data presented in Berlin. “Although many uncertainties remain, given the large number of amateur soccer players in the world, starting from childhood, simple preventive measures like education on the potential danger of ball heading and possibly using appropriate protective gear should be seriously considered. Neurology should help, with additional and more detailed studies, to further elucidate the details of the problem and help make the extremely popular soccer a safer sport in the future.”

Source: EAN-Abstract Radic et al.: Characteristics of focused and sustained attention and EEG of soccer players with recurring mild head injuries; Kirkendall et al. Heading and head injuries in soccer. Sports Med. 2001;31(5):369-86.

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