A recent study revealed that inflammation caused by repetitive head impacts may be associated with brain damage, explaining why some former footballers develop brain conditions later in life.
As per the study published in journal Neurology, increased levels of inflammation is tied to brain damage in white matter.
Senior researcher Breton Asken stated, “Experiencing repetitive head impacts during contact sports like American football has been found in previous research to increase the risk for neurodegenerative diseases like CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy).”
For the study, scientists assessed 223 men, of whom 170 played college or professional football. All were in their late 50s.
Scientists took blood and spinal fluid samples of each person and used MRI scans to assess their brain structure. They also checked the symptoms of CTE.
Results indicated that nearly 59% of the football players had developed cognitive decline and 58% showed an impaired ability to behaviour and emotions.
Non-players participants didn’t show cognitive decline and only 2% participants reported trouble managing emotions and behavior.
As per scientists, increased inflammation levels were linked to damage in the white matter of the brain, especially in the limbic system that regulates motivation, memory, emotions, and more.
This white matter damage in football players was linked to decreased memory.
Moreover, these associations were found to be stronger among 57 football players most likely to have CTE.
Asken stated, “Because the limbic system influences both cognition and behavior, targeting inflammation could offer a way to potentially reduce the risk for developing brain changes that lead to worsening symptoms associated with repetitive head injuries.”
