This small study of symptomatic NFL players suggests that it does — but we need to be cautious in interpreting the results.
Because of heightened worries that concussion may have long-term effects, families and clinicians are concerned about the safety of children. Because youth football poses risks for concussions and subconcussive hits, researchers analyzed cognition based on age of first exposure (AFE) to tackle football (below age 12 years or age 12 years and older) in 42 former National Football League (NFL) players with self-reported cognitive, behavioral, and mood symptoms. The men were participants in a larger study of these symptoms; AFE groups were matched by age.
Three cognitive measures were reported: executive function, verbal episodic memory, and reading. AFE <12 was associated with poorer performance on all tests after adjustment for years playing …
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresRoyaltiesTextbook of Traumatic Brain Injury, 2nd and 3rd editions
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNorth American Brain Injury Association (Board Member); National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (Chair of Data Monitoring Safety Board for study of donepezil on cognition after traumatic brain injury)
DisclosuresRoyaltiesTextbook of Traumatic Brain Injury, 2nd and 3rd editions
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNorth American Brain Injury Association (Board Member); National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (Chair of Data Monitoring Safety Board for study of donepezil on cognition after traumatic brain injury)