Clinical Research Directory

A Prospective Study of Cognitive Changes in Retired and Late-Career Professional Soccer Players

Sponsor: University Hospital, Strasbourg, France

Summary

Repeated head impacts and concussions may be associated with cognitive difficulties and neurodegenerative changes in athletes. Although this association has been studied primarily in contact sports such as boxing and American football, professional football (soccer) players may also be exposed to repetitive head impacts through heading the ball and sustaining concussions. This prospective study aims to evaluate the cognitive impact of repeated concussions in male and female outfield football players, including late-career and retired professional players. Cognitive function will be assessed using neuropsychological tests and questionnaires evaluating attention, concentration, executive functioning, subjective memory complaints, emotion regulation, anxiety, and depression. Multimodal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will also be performed to characterize brain imaging findings potentially associated with cumulative exposure to repetitive head impacts. The findings may contribute to a better understanding of potential cognitive and neuroimaging abnormalities in football players and inform future long-term monitoring and preventive strategies.

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