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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.

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·February 12, 2023·5 min read

For Former Football Players, Concussion and Hypertension Go Hand in Hand

The chance a former football player will be diagnosed with hypertension when they retire rises in step with the number of concussions they experienced during their career. High blood pressure may be another driver of cognitive decline in conjunction with repeated TBI for football players. However, controlling blood pressure could help slow both cardiovascular and cognitive decline.

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·April 20, 2022·7 min read

Study of Former Notre Dame Football Players Finds College Players More Likely to Have Brain Disorders

College football players are 5 times more likely to report cognitive impairment, 2.5 times more likely to experience recurrent headaches, and 65% more likely to have cardiovascular problems in their lifetime than their non-football playing peers. Additionally, mortality from brain and other nervous system cancers was 4 times higher in former college football players than the general population.

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Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·February 13, 2022·5 min read

The Risk of Concussion Lurks at the Super Bowl – And in All Other Sports

Researchers explore how changes in concussion research have impacted sports and player safety.

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·June 18, 2020·3 min read

Clear signs of brain injury with severe COVID-19

Some coronavirus patients exhibit clinical and neurochemical signs of brain injury associated with the viral infection. COVID-19 patients who required ventilation had increased plasma NfL levels. The higher NfL concentration levels were linked to the severity of infection.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 30, 2019·8 min read

Number of years in NFL plus certain positions portend greater risk for cognitive and mental health problems

Longer career length and playing specific positions put NFL players at greater risk of developing cognitive problems and mental health issues. Playing for 10 or more seasons increased the risks for depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment twice as much than those who played for a single season. For every five seasons of play, the risks increase 20% for cognitive impairment. Those most at risk are running backs, linebackers and those who played special teams positions.

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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.

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·August 7, 2019·6 min read

Routine hits playing football cause damage to the brain

Sustained hits following one season of playing football are enough to cause structural alterations to the brain. When players sustain a concussion, structural brain integrity decreases, and levels of tau increase. Researchers say, while concussions are a prime concern for those who play football, sustained hits also pose a threat to neurological health.

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·April 10, 2019·5 min read

Experimental PET scan detects abnormal tau protein in brains of living former NFL players

PET imaging of former NFL players who exhibited cognitive decline and psychiatric symptoms linked to CTE showed higher levels of tau in areas of the brain associated with the neurodegenerative disease.

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·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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·November 4, 2018·5 min read

Evidence of Brain Injuries in Football Players at Surprisingly Young Age

Researchers find evidence of cognitive issues and miRNA biomarkers, indicating brain injuries from concussions or head-to-head contact, in college football players. The findings indicated lasting damage caused by sports related concussions occur earlier than expected.