Frequency of Heading in Soccer Tied to Later Cognitive Impairment
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, July 20, 2023 -- Heading the ball in soccer is associated with a higher risk for later cognitive impairment, according to a study published online July 17 in JAMA Network Open.
Shima Espahbodi, Ph.D., from University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, and colleagues examined whether heading frequency is associated with the risk for cognitive impairment in retired professional soccer players. The analysis included data from 459 retired male professional soccer players (aged 45 years and older).
The researchers found that the prevalence of cognitive impairment was 9.78 percent for zero to five headings per match, 14.78 percent for six to 15 headings, and 15.20 percent for more than 15 headings. The adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were 2.71 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.89 to 8.25) for players reporting six to 15 headers per match and 3.53 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.13 to 11.04) for players reporting more than 15 headers per match (P = 0.03 for trend) compared with players reporting zero to five headers per match. For heading frequency per training session, results were similar (aORs [95 percent confidence intervals], 2.38 [0.82 to 6.95] and 3.40 [1.13 to 10.23], respectively; P = 0.03 for trend). There was greater risk for cognitive impairment seen with concussion involving memory loss (aOR, 3.16; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.08 to 9.22). Results were similar for other cognitive tests and self-reported physician-diagnosed dementia/Alzheimer disease.
"Further study is needed to establish the upper threshold for heading frequency to mitigate this risk," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted July 2023
Read this next
First Responders With More Debris Exposure Have Higher Risk of Early Dementia
FRIDAY, June 14, 2024 -- More severe exposure to dust or debris among World Trade Center (WTC) responders is significantly associated with a higher risk of dementia at <65...
4.0 Percent of Seniors Had Received Dementia Diagnosis in 2022
THURSDAY, June 13, 2024 -- In 2022, 4.0 percent of adults aged 65 years and older reported ever having received a dementia diagnosis, with similar percentages seen for men and...
Bidirectional Link ID'd for Change in Depressive Symptoms, Memory Change
THURSDAY, June 13, 2024 -- A linear change in depressive symptoms is associated with accelerated memory change and vice versa in adults aged 50 years or older, according to a...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.