Headers in Football Linked to Brain Disruptions

Repetitive heading of the ball in football has been shown to lead to disruptions in the brain's microstructure, particularly in the folds of the brain's outer layer, in a study of 352 amateur footballers. Researchers found that players with more frequent headers had a higher incidence of disruptions in the brain's white matter, which was also linked to poorer performance on thinking and memory tests. While the study does not prove that heading the ball causes brain changes, it suggests a possible association.

Key Takeaways:

• The study found that the most active footballers had "much greater" disruption in the brain's microstructure compared to the least active players.
• More frequent headers were linked to changes within the folds of the brain, particularly in the layer of white matter alongside the grey matter of the cerebral cortex.
• The study found that disruptions in the brain's microstructure were also linked to poorer performance on thinking and memory tests.
• The research team used brain scans to examine the microstructure of the juxtacortical white matter and found that players in the highest group had "much greater" disruption in the microstructure of the brain's outer layer.
• As the number of headers increased, the organization of water molecule movement in the folds of the brain deteriorated, indicating more disruptions and worsening of the brain's microstructure.
• The study found that disruptions in the brain's microstructure were also linked to worse performance on thinking and memory tests.
• Researchers also found that disruptions in the folds of the orbitofrontal brain region, just above the eye sockets, partially affected the relationship between repeated head impacts and thinking and memory performance.
• Study author Dr. Michael Lipton said: "Our findings suggest that this layer of white matter in the folds of the brain is vulnerable to repeated trauma from heading and may be an important place to detect brain injury."

Statistics:

• 352 amateur footballers participated in the study with an average age of 26.
• 77 athletes in non-collision sports with an average age of 23 also participated in the study.
• The study found that football players were divided into four groups with the highest group having an average of 3,152 headers per year, compared to 105 headers in the lowest group.
• Players in the highest group had "much greater" disruption in the microstructure of the brain's outer layer compared to players in the lowest group and non-collision sport athletes.
• The study found that the disruptions in the brain's microstructure were also linked to poorer performance on thinking and memory tests, with players with worse performance having more disorganized movement of water molecules in that area of the brain.

Sources:

• American scientists published their findings in the journal Neurology.
• Dr. Michael Lipton is a study author and researcher at Columbia University in New York City.
• The Jeff Astle Foundation, launched in 2015, raises awareness of brain injury in all forms of sport and offers support to those affected.
• Former England internationals Alan Shearer and Gary Neville are high-profile patrons of the charity.
• The study was first raised following the death of former England and West Bromwich Albion striker Jeff Astle in 2002, who died from a degenerative brain disease linked to repetitive minor trauma of heading the ball.