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football concussion

·October 28, 2025·9 min read

Football Players Show Subtle Brain Differences Linked to CTE Risk

Brain scans of former football players revealed subtle differences in brain grooves compared to men who never played contact sports, possibly marking early signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Researchers found that players had shallower grooves in a key frontal region previously associated with CTE and that years of play correlated with structural changes in another area of the brain.

This shows a high school football player and a brain.

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·November 26, 2024·4 min read

Concussion Impacts Brain Activity and Cognition in High Schoolers

Concussions affect aperiodic brain activity, a key signal often dismissed as "background noise," which plays a role in brain excitability and cognitive function. High school football players who experienced concussions showed slowed aperiodic activity, correlating with worse memory, concentration, and post-concussion test scores.

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·March 3, 2023·7 min read

NFL Players Who Experienced Concussion Symptoms During Careers Show Reduced Cognitive Performance Decades After Retirement

Retired football players who experienced concussions during their careers performed worse on cognitive tests than non-players. The findings add to the growing body of evidence that suggests head injuries experienced by football players accelerate cognitive aging. Researchers say the results underlie the importance of tracking concussion symptoms in football players as opposed to concussion diagnosis.

This shows a quarterback about to throw a football

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·November 26, 2021·3 min read

Study Finds Brain Lesions on MRI Linked to Years of Playing Football

White matter hyperintensities were more common in athletes who played more contact sports or had more head injuries and concussions during their sporting careers.

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·April 17, 2020·4 min read

Concussion linked to loss of inhibition

Varsity football players who experienced concussions performed well on cognitive tests but showed strong impairments in tests related to inhibitory control. Many reported problems with the ability to suppress thoughts, actions, and feelings following concussions. The findings shed light on the long-term implications of sports-related concussions.

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·August 26, 2019·7 min read

Concussions linked to erectile dysfunction in former NFL players

Former NFL players who received a concussion while playing are more likely to report low testosterone and erectile dysfunction. Researchers speculate the reason could be damage to the pituitary gland caused by concussion may spark a cascade of hormonal changes.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·November 19, 2018·6 min read

Playing High School Football Changes the Teenage Brain

Researchers say a single season of playing high school football is all it takes to cause microscopic alterations to the structure of the brain.

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·April 19, 2018·5 min read

Concussion May Increase Parkinson’s Risk

A new study reveals veterans who suffered a concussion are at a 56% increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

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·November 27, 2017·4 min read

Study Shows Brain Impact of Youth Football

Following just one season, children who have a history of concussion and high impact exposure as a result playing football undergo significant brain changes, researchers report.

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·September 30, 2017·4 min read

Concussion: How the NFL Came to Shape the Issue That Plagued It

A new study reviews how demands for institutional change led the NFL to change its ideology and engage in advocacy to address football related concussion.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·June 7, 2017·4 min read

New Study Finds Youth Football Players Have Significant Differences in Head Impact Exposure

Researchers studied 97 football players between the ages of 9 and 13 years and found players experienced a total of 40,538 head impacts during four seasons of football games and practices. Significant differences in head impacts were seen between those in the games and practices.