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Miller K, Morley C, Fraser BJ, Gall SL, Cleland V. Types of leisure-time physical activity participation in childhood and adolescence, and physical activity behaviours and health outcomes in adulthood: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1789. [PMID: 38965532 PMCID: PMC11225122 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19050-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Youth leisure-time physical activity participation benefits physical activity habits and health outcomes later in life. However, it is unknown if certain types of leisure-time physical activity contribute to these benefits in different ways; this knowledge could enhance public health efforts. This systematic review aimed to synthesise evidence of the longitudinal associations between childhood and adolescent leisure-time physical activity on adulthood physical activity behaviours and health outcomes. METHODS A systematic search of the literature was conducted across five databases from inception to July 2022. English, peer-reviewed observational studies with a minimum of two timepoints of data collection were eligible for inclusion. We included studies that investigated the association between participation in leisure-time physical activity types in children and adolescents (i.e., 5-18 years), and physical activity, mental health, or cardiovascular outcomes in adulthood (i.e., ≥ 18 years). RESULTS Fourteen studies were included in the review, totalling 34,388 observations across five countries. Running in adolescence was associated with increased adulthood physical activity in both sexes, while sports involvement was associated with an increase in physical activity in males only. Adolescent team sports participation was associated with reduced odds of early adulthood depression, with varying findings for anxiety disorders. There was preliminary evidence of minimum threshold requirements for participation in certain activities before associations with future physical activity or health outcome benefits were observed. CONCLUSIONS Preliminary findings suggest that the lifelong behavioural and health benefits of adolescent participation in leisure-time physical activity appear to be related to the type of activity undertaken, with potential differences between sexes. With the rarity of longitudinal studies spanning from childhood into adulthood, these findings provide important insights for public health strategies to optimise lifelong health and physical activity participation. PROSPERO REGISTRATION CRD42022347792.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelcie Miller
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, 17 Liverpool St, Hobart, 7000, Australia
| | - Claire Morley
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, 17 Liverpool St, Hobart, 7000, Australia
| | - Brooklyn J Fraser
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, 17 Liverpool St, Hobart, 7000, Australia
| | - Seana L Gall
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, 17 Liverpool St, Hobart, 7000, Australia
- School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Verity Cleland
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, 17 Liverpool St, Hobart, 7000, Australia.
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
- , Private Bag 23, Hobart, 7001, Australia.
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Buddenbaum CV, Recht GO, Rodriguez AK, Newman SD, Kawata K. Associations between repetitive head impact exposure and midlife mental health wellbeing in former amateur athletes. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1383614. [PMID: 38863610 PMCID: PMC11165143 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1383614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Repetitive head impacts (RHI) have been suggested to increase the risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease, and many of these individuals develop a preceding mental health diagnosis. Given the lack of studies among amateur athletes, this study aimed to examine mental health outcomes in middle-aged amateur athletes who have been exposed to RHI through contact sport participation. Methods This is a single site, cohort study involving former amateur athletes aged between 30 and 60 with at least 10 years of organized contact or non-contact sport participation. All participants completed demographic and mental health questionnaires. Mental health outcomes included symptoms related to depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), and aggression. Self-reported data on mental health diagnoses and associated prescription were elicited and used to estimate odds ratios (OR). Results Data from 41 contact athletes and 22 age/sex-matched non-contact athletes were available for analysis. The contact group exhibited a 2.25-fold higher likelihood of being diagnosed with mental health disorders and 1.29-fold higher likelihood of using associated medications compared to the non-contact group. The contact group reported significantly higher PTSD-related symptoms [4.61 (0.03,9.2), p=0.05] compared to the non-contact control group. While not statistically significant, the contact group showed increased depressive [2.37 (0.05, 4.79), p=0.07] and ADHD symptoms [4.53 (0.51, 9.57), p=0.08] compared to controls. In a secondary analysis, a distinct trend emerged within the contact group, revealing pronounced elevations in mental health symptoms among individuals with lower socioeconomic status (<$50,000/year) compared to higher income subgroups, and these symptoms decreased as income levels rose [depression: -3.08 (-4.47, -1.7), p<0.001; anxiety: -1.95 (-3.15, -0.76), p=0.002; ADHD: -4.99 (-8.28, -1.69), p=0.004; PTSD: -4.42 (-7.28, -1.57), p=0.003; aggression: -6.19 (-11.02, -1.36), p=0.01]. This trend was absent in the non-contact control group. Discussion Our data suggest that even individuals at the amateur level of contact sports have an increased likelihood of being diagnosed with mental health disorders or experiencing mental health symptoms compared to non-contact athletes. Our findings indicate that socioeconomic status may have an interactive effect on individuals' mental health, particularly among those with a long history of RHI exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire V. Buddenbaum
- Department of Kinesiology, Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Grace O. Recht
- Department of Kinesiology, Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Adriana K. Rodriguez
- Department of Kinesiology, Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Sharlene D. Newman
- Alabama Life Research Institute, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Keisuke Kawata
- Department of Kinesiology, Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Program in Neuroscience, The College of Arts and Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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Samsudin N, Bailey RP, Ries F, Hashim SNAB, Fernandez JA. Assessing the impact of physical activity on reducing depressive symptoms: a rapid review. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 2024; 16:107. [PMID: 38720395 PMCID: PMC11077707 DOI: 10.1186/s13102-024-00895-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
CONTEXT The prevalence of depression among teenagers is a significant issue worldwide, which calls for a thorough investigation of non-drug treatments. This expedited evaluation examines 24 specifically chosen studies to clarify the correlation between physical activity depression symptoms in teenagers, undertaken following PRISMA principles. METHODS A wide range of research methods, including longitudinal studies, surveys, and cross-sectional analyses, were used in different nations to understand the intricate relationship between physical activity, sedentary behaviours, and depression symptoms. The data-gathering methods included standardised questionnaires, accelerometer measurements, and self-report instruments. FINDINGS The review highlights the crucial significance of engaging in physical activity to alleviate depression symptoms. Improved self-esteem consistently acts as a crucial intermediary between participation in physical activity and decreased rates of depression. Engaging in physical activity is a safeguard, particularly for individuals with restricted access to physical activity. In contrast, a sedentary lifestyle greatly increases the probability of developing moderate to severe symptoms of depression. Gender differences are apparent, with females being disproportionately impacted by depression. There are strong connections between engaging in physical activity and reducing symptoms of depression, which can be observed in various situations, such as participating in team sports or engaging in leisure activities. CONCLUSION This study provides insight into the potential of physical activity as a non-pharmacological approach to address adolescent depression. This highlights the significant impact of physical activity, which has important implications for public health programs aimed at improving the mental well-being of adolescents by promoting physical activity. It is crucial to do additional research that considers gender-specific variations and various physical activity circumstances to enhance our comprehension of this important matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Samsudin
- Faculty of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Richard Peter Bailey
- Faculty of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Francis Ries
- Faculty of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | | | - Janet Ann Fernandez
- Faculty of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Misztal MC, Tio ES, Mohan A, Felsky D. Interactions between genetic risk for 21 neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders and sport activity on youth mental health. Psychiatry Res 2023; 330:115550. [PMID: 37973444 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Childhood is a sensitive period where behavioral disturbances, determined by genetics and environmental factors including sport activity, may emerge and impact risk of mental illness in adulthood. We aimed to determine if participation in sports can mitigate genetic risk for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders in youth. We analyzed 4975 unrelated European youth (ages 9-10) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Our outcomes were eight Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) scores, measured annually. Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) were calculated for 21 disorders, and sport frequency and type were summarized. PRSs and sport variables were tested for main effects and interactions against CBCL outcomes using linear models. Cross-sectionally, PRSs for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and major depressive disorder were associated with increases in multiple CBCL outcomes. Participation in non-contact or team sports, as well as more frequent sport participation reduced all cross-sectional CBCL outcomes, whereas involvement in contact sports increased attention problems and rule-breaking behavior. Interactions revealed that more frequent exercise was significantly associated with less rule breaking behavior in individuals with high genetic risk for obsessive compulsive disorder. Associations with longitudinal CBCL outcomes demonstrated weaker effects. We highlight the importance of genetic context when considering sports as an intervention for early life behavioural problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa C Misztal
- The Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Earvin S Tio
- The Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Akshay Mohan
- The Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel Felsky
- The Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Iverson GL, Kissinger-Knox A, Huebschmann NA, Castellani RJ, Gardner AJ. A narrative review of psychiatric features of traumatic encephalopathy syndrome as conceptualized in the 20th century. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1214814. [PMID: 37545715 PMCID: PMC10401603 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1214814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Some ultra-high exposure boxers from the 20th century suffered from neurological problems characterized by slurred speech, personality changes (e.g., childishness or aggressiveness), and frank gait and coordination problems, with some noted to have progressive Parkinsonian-like signs. Varying degrees of cognitive impairment were also described, with some experiencing moderate to severe dementia. The onset of the neurological problems often began while they were young men and still actively fighting. More recently, traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES) has been proposed to be present in athletes who have a history of contact (e.g., soccer) and collision sport participation (e.g., American-style football). The characterization of TES has incorporated a much broader description than the neurological problems described in boxers from the 20th century. Some have considered TES to include depression, suicidality, anxiety, and substance abuse. Purpose We carefully re-examined the published clinical literature of boxing cases from the 20th century to determine whether there is evidence to support conceptualizing psychiatric problems as being diagnostic clinical features of TES. Methods We reviewed clinical descriptions from 155 current and former boxers described in 21 articles published between 1928 and 1999. Results More than one third of cases (34.8%) had a psychiatric, neuropsychiatric, or neurobehavioral problem described in their case histories. However, only 6.5% of the cases were described as primarily psychiatric or neuropsychiatric in nature. The percentages documented as having specific psychiatric problems were as follows: depression = 11.0%, suicidality = 0.6%, anxiety = 3.9%, anger control problems = 20.0%, paranoia/suspiciousness = 11.6%, and personality change = 25.2%. Discussion We conclude that depression, suicidality (i.e., suicidal ideation, intent, or planning), and anxiety were not considered to be clinical features of TES during the 20th century. The present review supports the decision of the consensus group to remove mood and anxiety disorders, and suicidality, from the new 2021 consensus core diagnostic criteria for TES. More research is needed to determine if anger dyscontrol is a core feature of TES with a clear clinicopathological association. The present findings, combined with a recently published large clinicopathological association study, suggest that mood and anxiety disorders are not characteristic of TES and they are not associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy neuropathologic change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant L. Iverson
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Schoen Adams Research Institute at Spaulding Rehabilitation, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Charlestown, MA, United States
- MassGeneral Hospital for Children Sports Concussion Program, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Alicia Kissinger-Knox
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- MassGeneral Hospital for Children Sports Concussion Program, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Rudolph J. Castellani
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Andrew J. Gardner
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
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Iverson GL, Castellani RJ, Cassidy JD, Schneider GM, Schneider KJ, Echemendia RJ, Bailes JE, Hayden KA, Koerte IK, Manley GT, McNamee M, Patricios JS, Tator CH, Cantu RC, Dvorak J. Examining later-in-life health risks associated with sport-related concussion and repetitive head impacts: a systematic review of case-control and cohort studies. Br J Sports Med 2023; 57:810-821. [PMID: 37316187 DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2023-106890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Concern exists about possible problems with later-in-life brain health, such as cognitive impairment, mental health problems and neurological diseases, in former athletes. We examined the future risk for adverse health effects associated with sport-related concussion, or exposure to repetitive head impacts, in former athletes. DESIGN Systematic review. DATA SOURCES Search of MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, CINAHL Plus and SPORTDiscus in October 2019 and updated in March 2022. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Studies measuring future risk (cohort studies) or approximating that risk (case-control studies). RESULTS Ten studies of former amateur athletes and 18 studies of former professional athletes were included. No postmortem neuropathology studies or neuroimaging studies met criteria for inclusion. Depression was examined in five studies in former amateur athletes, none identifying an increased risk. Nine studies examined suicidality or suicide as a manner of death, and none found an association with increased risk. Some studies comparing professional athletes with the general population reported associations between sports participation and dementia or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) as a cause of death. Most did not control for potential confounding factors (eg, genetic, demographic, health-related or environmental), were ecological in design and had high risk of bias. CONCLUSION Evidence does not support an increased risk of mental health or neurological diseases in former amateur athletes with exposure to repetitive head impacts. Some studies in former professional athletes suggest an increased risk of neurological disorders such as ALS and dementia; these findings need to be confirmed in higher quality studies with better control of confounding factors. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42022159486.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant L Iverson
- Sports Concussion Program, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Schoen Adams Research Institute at Spaulding Rehabilitation, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
- Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rudolph J Castellani
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - J David Cassidy
- Division of Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Geoff M Schneider
- Department of Radiology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Kathryn J Schneider
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ruben J Echemendia
- Department of Psychology, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
- University Orthopedic Centre, Concussion Care Clinic, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Julian E Bailes
- Department of Neurosurgery, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - K Alix Hayden
- Libraries and Cultural Resources, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Inga K Koerte
- cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Mass General Brigham, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Geoffrey T Manley
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Michael McNamee
- Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Jon S Patricios
- Wits Sport and Health (WiSH), School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Charles H Tator
- Department of Surgery and Division of Neurosurgery, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Concussion Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Robert C Cantu
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Robert C. Cantu Concussion Center, Emerson Hospital, Concord, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jiri Dvorak
- Schulthess Clinic Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Patricios JS, Schneider KJ, Dvorak J, Ahmed OH, Blauwet C, Cantu RC, Davis GA, Echemendia RJ, Makdissi M, McNamee M, Broglio S, Emery CA, Feddermann-Demont N, Fuller GW, Giza CC, Guskiewicz KM, Hainline B, Iverson GL, Kutcher JS, Leddy JJ, Maddocks D, Manley G, McCrea M, Purcell LK, Putukian M, Sato H, Tuominen MP, Turner M, Yeates KO, Herring SA, Meeuwisse W. Consensus statement on concussion in sport: the 6th International Conference on Concussion in Sport-Amsterdam, October 2022. Br J Sports Med 2023; 57:695-711. [PMID: 37316210 DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2023-106898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 222] [Impact Index Per Article: 222.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
For over two decades, the Concussion in Sport Group has held meetings and developed five international statements on concussion in sport. This 6th statement summarises the processes and outcomes of the 6th International Conference on Concussion in Sport held in Amsterdam on 27-30 October 2022 and should be read in conjunction with the (1) methodology paper that outlines the consensus process in detail and (2) 10 systematic reviews that informed the conference outcomes. Over 3½ years, author groups conducted systematic reviews of predetermined priority topics relevant to concussion in sport. The format of the conference, expert panel meetings and workshops to revise or develop new clinical assessment tools, as described in the methodology paper, evolved from previous consensus meetings with several new components. Apart from this consensus statement, the conference process yielded revised tools including the Concussion Recognition Tool-6 (CRT6) and Sport Concussion Assessment Tool-6 (SCAT6, Child SCAT6), as well as a new tool, the Sport Concussion Office Assessment Tool-6 (SCOAT6, Child SCOAT6). This consensus process also integrated new features including a focus on the para athlete, the athlete's perspective, concussion-specific medical ethics and matters related to both athlete retirement and the potential long-term effects of SRC, including neurodegenerative disease. This statement summarises evidence-informed principles of concussion prevention, assessment and management, and emphasises those areas requiring more research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon S Patricios
- Wits Sport and Health (WiSH), School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Kathryn J Schneider
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jiri Dvorak
- Spine Unit, Schulthess Clinic Human Performance Lab, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Osman Hassan Ahmed
- Physiotherapy Department, University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, Poole, UK
- The FA Centre for Para Football Research, The Football Association, Burton-Upon-Trent, Staffordshire, UK
| | - Cheri Blauwet
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Kelley Adaptive Sports Research Institute, Spaulding Rehabilitation, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Robert C Cantu
- CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gavin A Davis
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Cabrini Health, Malvern, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ruben J Echemendia
- Psychology, University of Missouri Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
- Psychological and Neurobehavioral Associates, Inc, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Michael Makdissi
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health-Austin Campus, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
- La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael McNamee
- Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- School of Sport and Exercise Medicine, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Steven Broglio
- Michigan Concussion Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Carolyn A Emery
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nina Feddermann-Demont
- University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Sports Neuroscience, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gordon Ward Fuller
- School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK
| | - Christopher C Giza
- Neurosurgery, UCLA Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Program, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Pediatrics/Pediatric Neurology, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Kevin M Guskiewicz
- Matthew Gfeller Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brian Hainline
- National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Grant L Iverson
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Sports Concussion Program, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - John J Leddy
- UBMD Orthopaedics and Sports Medicne, SUNY Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - David Maddocks
- Melbourne Neuropsychology Services & Perry Maddocks Trollope Lawyers, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Geoff Manley
- Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Michael McCrea
- Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Laura K Purcell
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Haruhiko Sato
- Neurosurgery, Seirei Mikatahara Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | | | - Michael Turner
- International Concussion and Head Injury Research Foundation, London, UK
- University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Stanley A Herring
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Iverson GL, Merz ZC, Terry DP. High-School Football and Midlife Brain Health Problems. Clin J Sport Med 2022; 32:86-94. [PMID: 35234740 PMCID: PMC8868212 DOI: 10.1097/jsm.0000000000000898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine whether middle-aged men who played high-school football experience worse mental health or cognitive functioning than men who did not play high-school football. DESIGN Cross-sectional cohort study. SETTING Online survey completed remotely. PARTICIPANTS A total of 435 men between the ages of 35 and 55 completed the study, of whom 407 were included in the analyses after excluding participants who answered embedded validity items incorrectly (n = 16), played semiprofessional football (n = 2), or experienced a recent concussion (n = 10). ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS Self-reported high school football participation, compared with those who played contact sports, noncontact sports, and no sports. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES A lifetime history of depression or anxiety; mental health or cognitive problems in the past year; current depression symptoms, and post-concussion-like symptoms. RESULTS Middle-aged men who played high-school football did not have a higher prevalence of being prescribed medication for anxiety or depression or receiving treatment from a mental health professional. Similarly, there were no significant differences between groups on the rates in which they endorsed depression, anxiety, anger, concentration problems, memory problems, headaches, migraines, neck or back pain, or chronic pain over the past year. A greater proportion of those who played football reported sleep problems over the past year and reported being prescribed medication for chronic pain and for headaches. CONCLUSIONS Men who played high-school football did not report worse brain health compared with those who played other contact sports, noncontact sports, or did not participate in sports during high school.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant L. Iverson
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Spaulding Research Institute, MassGeneral Hospital for Children Sports Concussion Program, and Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Charlestown, Massachusetts and
| | - Zachary C. Merz
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, UNC Memorial Hospital, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Douglas P. Terry
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Spaulding Research Institute, MassGeneral Hospital for Children Sports Concussion Program, and Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Charlestown, Massachusetts and
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9
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Iverson GL, Terry DP. High School Football and Risk for Depression and Suicidality in Adulthood: Findings From a National Longitudinal Study. Front Neurol 2022; 12:812604. [PMID: 35222232 PMCID: PMC8865514 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.812604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is growing public concern regarding the potential long-term effects of playing football on brain health, specifically that playing football before and during high school might cause damage to the brain that manifests years or decades later as depression or suicidality. This study examined if playing high school football was associated with increased lifetime risk for depression, suicidality over the past year, or depressed mood in the past week in men aged between their middle 30 s to early 40 s. METHODS Publicly available data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health were analyzed. This longitudinal, prospective cohort study sampled nationally representative U.S. youth starting in 1994-1995 (Wave I) and most recently in 2016-2018 (Wave V). A total of 3,147 boys participated in Wave I (median age = 15), of whom 1,805 were re-assessed during Wave V (median age = 38). RESULTS Of the 1,762 men included in the study, 307 (17.4%) men reported being diagnosed with depression and 275 (15.6%) reported being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder or panic disorder at some point in their life. When comparing men who played high school football to those who did not, there were no differences in the proportions of the sample who had a lifetime diagnosis of depression, lifetime diagnosis of anxiety/panic disorders, suicidal ideation in the past year, psychological counseling in the past year, or current depressed mood. However, men who received psychological counseling and/or experienced suicidal ideation during adolescence were significantly more likely to report a lifetime history of depression, suicidal ideation in the past year, and current depressed mood. CONCLUSION Individuals who reported playing football during adolescence did not have an increased risk of depression or suicidal ideation when they were in their middle 30 s to early 40 s, but mental health problems during adolescence were associated with an increased risk for psychological health difficulties more than 20 years later.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant L. Iverson
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Spaulding Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, United States
- MassGeneral Hospital for Children Sports Concussion Program, Boston, MA, United States
- Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Douglas P. Terry
- Vanderbilt Sports Concussion Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
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Disparate Associations of Years of Football Participation and a Metric of Head Impact Exposure with Neurobehavioral Outcomes in Former Collegiate Football Players. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2022; 28:22-34. [PMID: 33563361 PMCID: PMC8353007 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617721000047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Years of sport participation (YoP) is conventionally used to estimate cumulative repetitive head impacts (RHI) experienced by contact sport athletes. The relationship of this measure to other estimates of head impact exposure and the potential associations of these measures with neurobehavioral functioning are unknown. We investigated the association between YoP and the Head Impact Exposure Estimate (HIEE), and whether associations between the two estimates of exposure and neurobehavioral functioning varied. METHODS Former American football players (N = 58; age = 37.9 ± 1.5 years) completed in-person evaluations approximately 15 years following sport discontinuation. Assessments consisted of neuropsychological assessment and structured interviews of head impact history (i.e., HIEE). General linear models were fit to test the association between YoP and the HIEE, and their associations with neurobehavioral outcomes. RESULTS YoP was weakly correlated with the HIEE, p = .005, R2 = .13. Higher YoP was associated with worse performance on the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, p = .004, R2 = .14, and Trail Making Test-B, p = .001, R2 = .18. The HIEE was associated with worse performance on the Delayed Recall trial of the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised, p = .020, R2 = .09, self-reported cognitive difficulties (Neuro-QoL Cognitive Function), p = .011, R2 = .10, psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory-18), p = .018, R2 = .10, and behavioral regulation (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function for Adults), p = .017, R2 = .10. CONCLUSIONS YoP was marginally associated with the HIEE, a comprehensive estimate of head impacts sustained over a career. Associations between each exposure estimate and neurobehavioral functioning outcomes differed. Findings have meaningful implications for efforts to accurately quantify the risk of adverse long-term neurobehavioral outcomes potentially associated with RHI.
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Weiss J, Rabinowitz AR, Deshpande SK, Hasegawa RB, Small DS. Participation in Collision Sports and Cognitive Aging Among Swedish Twins. Am J Epidemiol 2021; 190:2604-2611. [PMID: 34142704 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwab177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined the association between early-life participation in collision sports and later-life cognitive health over a 28-year period in a population-based sample drawn from the longitudinal Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging (1987-2014). Cognitive measures included the Mini-Mental State Examination and performance across multiple cognitive domains (e.g., global cognition, verbal ability, spatial ability, memory, processing speed). Among a sample of 660 adults (mean age at baseline, 62.8 years (range: 50-88); 58.2% female), who contributed 10,944 person-years of follow-up, there were 450 cases of cognitive impairment (crude rate = 41.1/1,000 person-years). Early-life participation in collision sports was not significantly associated with cognitive impairment at baseline or with its onset over a 28-year period in a time-to-event analysis, which accounted for the semi-competing risk of death. Furthermore, growth curve models revealed no association between early-life participation in collision sports and the level of or change in trajectories of cognition across multiple domains overall or in sex-stratified models. We discuss the long-term implications of adolescent participation in collision sports on cognitive health.
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12
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Iverson GL, Deep-Soboslay A, Hyde TM, Kleinman JE, Erskine B, Fisher-Hubbard A, deJong JL, Castellani RJ. Suicide in Older Adult Men Is Not Related to a Personal History of Participation in Football. Front Neurol 2021; 12:745824. [PMID: 34899570 PMCID: PMC8662809 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.745824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: It is reasonable to estimate that tens of millions of men in the United States played high school football. There is societal concern that participation in football confers risk for later-in-life mental health problems. The purpose of this study is to examine whether there is an association between a personal history of playing high school football and death by suicide. Methods: The subjects were obtained from the Lieber Institute for Brain Development (LIBD) brain donation program in collaboration with the Office of the Medical Examiner at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine. Donor history was documented via medical records, mental health records, and telephone interviews with the next-of-kin. Results: The sample included 198 men aged 50 or older (median = 65.0 years, interquartile range = 57-75). There were 34.8% who participated in contact sports during high school (including football), and 29.8% participated in high school football. Approximately one-third of the sample had suicide as their manner of death (34.8%). There was no statistically significant difference in the proportions of suicide as a manner of death among those men with a personal history of playing football compared to men who did not play football or who did not play sports (p = 0.070, Odds Ratio, OR = 0.537). Those who played football were significantly less likely to have a lifetime history of a suicide attempt (p = 0.012, OR = 0.352). Men with mood disorders (p < 0.001, OR = 10.712), substance use disorders (p < 0.020, OR = 2.075), and those with a history of suicide ideation (p < 0.001, OR = 8.038) or attempts (p < 0.001, OR = 40.634) were more likely to have suicide as a manner of death. Moreover, those men with a family history of suicide were more likely to have prior suicide attempts (p = 0.031, OR = 2.153) and to have completed suicide (p = 0.001, OR = 2.927). Discussion: Suicide was related to well-established risk factors such as a personal history of a mood disorder, substance abuse disorder, prior suicide ideation, suicide attempts, and a family history of suicide attempts. This study adds to a steadily growing body of evidence suggesting that playing high school football is not associated with increased risk for suicidality or suicide during adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant L. Iverson
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Spaulding Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, United States
- MassGeneral Hospital for Children Sports Concussion Program, Boston, MA, United States
- Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Amy Deep-Soboslay
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Thomas M. Hyde
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Joel E. Kleinman
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Brittany Erskine
- Department of Pathology, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI, United States
| | - Amanda Fisher-Hubbard
- Department of Pathology, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI, United States
| | - Joyce L. deJong
- Department of Pathology, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI, United States
| | - Rudolph J. Castellani
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
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13
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Tikka SK, Garg S, Siddiqui MA. Prescribing Physical Activity in Mental Health: A Focused Review on the Latest Evidence, Recommendations, Challenges, and Relevance to India. Indian J Psychol Med 2021; 43:535-541. [PMID: 35210683 PMCID: PMC8826198 DOI: 10.1177/0253717620972330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sai Krishna Tikka
- Dept. of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Shobit Garg
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - M Aleem Siddiqui
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Era's Lucknow Medical College and Hospital, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
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14
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Iverson GL, Merz ZC, Terry DP. Playing High School Football Is Not Associated With an Increased Risk for Suicidality in Early Adulthood. Clin J Sport Med 2021; 31:469-474. [PMID: 34704972 DOI: 10.1097/jsm.0000000000000890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine if playing high school football is associated with suicide ideation between the ages of 24 and 32 years. DESIGN Data were analyzed from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. This prospective cohort study sampled nationally representative US participants at 4 time points from 1994 to 2008. SETTING In-home assessment. PARTICIPANTS There were 3147 boys (age: median = 14.9, SD = 1.8) who participated during adolescence in 1994 to 1995 (wave I), of whom 2353 were reinterviewed in 2008 (wave IV, age: median = 29.1, SD = 1.8). ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS Football participation, history of psychological counseling, suicide ideation, and a suicide attempt in the past year during high school. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Lifetime history of depression, suicide ideation within the past year, and feeling depressed in the past 7 days at wave IV. RESULTS Men who played high school football, compared with those who did not, reported similar rates of lifetime diagnosis of depression, suicide ideation in the past year, and feeling depressed in the past 7 days. Those who played football reported similar rates of suicide ideation in the past year when they were in their early 20s. Individuals who underwent psychological counseling during adolescence were more likely to report a lifetime history of depression and suicide ideation in the past year. CONCLUSIONS Young men who played high school football are not at an increased risk for suicide ideation during both their early 20s and late 20s. By contrast, those who experienced mental health problems in high school were much more likely to experience suicide ideation during their 20s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant L Iverson
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School
- Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital; Spaulding Research Institute
- MassGeneral Hospital for Children Sports Concussion Program; & Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Charlestown, Massachusetts
- Center for Health and Rehabilitation Research, Charlestown, Massachusetts; and
| | - Zachary C Merz
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, UNC Memorial Hospital, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Douglas P Terry
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School
- MassGeneral Hospital for Children Sports Concussion Program; & Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Charlestown, Massachusetts
- Center for Health and Rehabilitation Research, Charlestown, Massachusetts; and
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15
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Iverson GL, Büttner F, Caccese JB. Age of First Exposure to Contact and Collision Sports and Later in Life Brain Health: A Narrative Review. Front Neurol 2021; 12:727089. [PMID: 34659092 PMCID: PMC8511696 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.727089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A controversial theory proposes that playing tackle football before the age of 12 causes later in life brain health problems. This theory arose from a small study of 42 retired National Football League (NFL) players, which reported that those who started playing tackle football at a younger age performed worse on selected neuropsychological tests and a word reading test. The authors concluded that these differences were likely due to greater exposure to repetitive neurotrauma during a developmentally sensitive maturational period in their lives. Several subsequent studies of current high school and collegiate contact/collision sports athletes, and former high school, collegiate, and professional tackle football players have not replicated these findings. This narrative review aims to (i) discuss the fundamental concepts, issues, and controversies surrounding existing research on age of first exposure (AFE) to contact/collision sport, and (ii) provide a balanced interpretation, including risk of bias assessment findings, of this body of evidence. Among 21 studies, 11 studies examined former athletes, 8 studies examined current athletes, and 2 studies examined both former and current athletes. Although the literature on whether younger AFE to tackle football is associated with later in life cognitive, neurobehavioral, or mental health problems in former NFL players is mixed, the largest study of retired NFL players (N = 3,506) suggested there was not a significant association between earlier AFE to organized tackle football and worse subjectively experienced cognitive functioning, depression, or anxiety. Furthermore, no published studies of current athletes show a significant association between playing tackle football (or other contact/collision sports) before the age of 12 and cognitive, neurobehavioral, or mental health problems. It is important to note that all studies were judged to be at high overall risk of bias, indicating that more methodologically rigorous research is needed to understand whether there is an association between AFE to contact/collision sports and later in life brain health. The accumulated research to date suggests that earlier AFE to contact/collision sports is not associated with worse cognitive functioning or mental health in (i) current high school athletes, (ii) current collegiate athletes, or (iii) middle-aged men who played high school football. The literature on former NFL players is mixed and does not, at present, clearly support the theory that exposure to tackle football before age 12 is associated with later in life cognitive impairment or mental health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant L. Iverson
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Spaulding Research Institute, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Sports Concussion Program, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States
- Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Fionn Büttner
- School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jaclyn B. Caccese
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, United States
- Chronic Brain Injury Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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16
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Hunzinger KJ, Caccese JB, Costantini KM, Swanik CB, Buckley TA. Age of First Exposure to Collision Sports Does Not Affect Patient Reported Outcomes in Women and Men Community Rugby Players. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2021; 53:1895-1902. [PMID: 33731652 DOI: 10.1249/mss.0000000000002657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to determine the relationship between age of first exposure (AFE) to repetitive head impacts through contact/collision sports and patient-reported outcomes in community rugby players. METHODS We recruited community rugby players older than 18 yr with at least 1 yr of contact rugby participation to complete an online survey. Participants completed the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18), Short-Form Health Survey 12 (SF-12), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) via Qualtrics. We used generalized linear models to examine the association between AFE (continuous) and patient-reported outcomes by sex, while controlling for cumulative years contact/collision sport history, age, and concussion history (yes/no). In addition, we used Mann-Whitney U tests to compare patient-reported outcomes between AFE <12 and AFE ≥12. RESULTS A total of 1037 rugby players (31.6 ± 11.3 yr (range, 18-74 yr), 59.1% men) participated in this study. Whether analyzed continuously or dichotomously at age 12 yr, younger AFE was not associated with worse patient-reported outcomes for either men or women. Positive concussion history was a significant predictor of worse BSI-18 subscores, SF-12 subscores, and SWLS in women and worse BSI-18 subscores in men. Cumulative contact/collision sport history was a significant predictor of better BSI-18 Depression and SF-12 (Mental Component Summary) subscores in men only. In men and women, older age was a significant predictor of better BSI-18 Depression, Anxiety, and GSI subscores; better SWLS (in men only); and better SF-12 Mental Component Summary, but worse SF-12 (Physical Component Summary). CONCLUSIONS Younger AFE to contact/collision sport is not associated with worse patient-reported outcomes in early adult rugby players. Concussion history was predictive of worse patient-reported outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jaclyn B Caccese
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH
| | - Katelyn M Costantini
- Department of Kinesiology and Applied Physiology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE
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17
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Iverson GL, Caccese JB, Merz ZC, Büttner F, Terry DP. Age of First Exposure to Football Is Not Associated With Later-in-Life Cognitive or Mental Health Problems. Front Neurol 2021; 12:647314. [PMID: 34025554 PMCID: PMC8131846 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.647314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The purpose of this study was to determine if earlier age of first exposure to football is associated with worse brain health in middle-aged and older adult men who played high school football. Methods: Men from the United States, aged 35 and older, who reported playing high school football, completed a customized, online health survey via the Amazon Mechanical Turk (mTurk) platform. Survey items included physical, psychological, and cognitive symptoms over the past week and over the past year, sports participation history (including age of first exposure to football), medical history, and concussion history. Participants also completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) and the British Columbia Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory (BC-PSI). Results: There were 186 men (age M = 51.78, SD = 10.93) who participated in high school football, and 87 (46.8%) reported football participation starting before the age of 12 and 99 (53.2%) reported football participation at or after the age of 12. Those who started playing football at an earlier age reported a greater number of lifetime concussions (M = 1.95, SD = 1.79) compared to those who started playing at age 12 or later (M = 1.28, SD = 1.52; U = 3,257.5, p = 0.003). A similar proportion of men who played football before vs. after the age of 12 reported a lifetime history of being prescribed medications for depression, anxiety, chronic pain, headaches, or memory problems. When comparing men who played football before vs. after the age of 12, the groups did not differ significantly in their ratings of depression, anger, anxiety, headaches, migraines, neck or back pain, chronic pain, concentration problems, or memory problems over the past week or the past year. The two groups did not differ significantly in their ratings of current symptoms of depression (PHQ-8; U = 4,187.0, p = 0.74) or post-concussion-like symptoms (BC-PSI; U = 3,944.0, p = 0.53). Furthermore, there were no statistically significant correlations between the age of first exposure to football, as a continuous variable, and PHQ-8 or BC-PSI scores. Conclusion: This study adds to a rapidly growing body of literature suggesting that earlier age of first exposure to football is not associated with later-in-life brain health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant L Iverson
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Spaulding Research Institute, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Sports Concussion Program, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States.,Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Jaclyn B Caccese
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Zachary C Merz
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of North Carolina, UNC Memorial Hospital, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.,LeBauer Department of Neurology, Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital, Greensboro, NC, United States
| | - Fionn Büttner
- Physiotherapy and Sports Science, School of Public Health, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Douglas P Terry
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Sports Concussion Program, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States.,Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Charlestown, MA, United States
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Willer BS, Haider MN, Wilber C, Esopenko C, Turner M, Leddy J. Long-Term Neurocognitive, Mental Health Consequences of Contact Sports. Clin Sports Med 2020; 40:173-186. [PMID: 33187607 DOI: 10.1016/j.csm.2020.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
This article presents a brief history and literature review of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in professional athletes that played contact sports. The hypothesis that CTE results from concussion or sub-concussive blows is based largely on several case series investigations with considerable bias. Evidence of CTE in its clinical presentation has not been generally noted in studies of living retired athletes. However, these studies also demonstrated limitation in research methodology. This paper aims to present a balanced perspective amidst a politically charged subject matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry S Willer
- Department of Psychiatry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Concussion Management Clinic and Research Center, State University of New York at Buffalo, 160 Farber Hall, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA.
| | - Mohammad Nadir Haider
- UBMD Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Concussion Management Clinic and Research Center, State University of New York at Buffalo, 160 Farber Hall, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
| | - Charles Wilber
- UBMD Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Concussion Management Clinic and Research Center, State University of New York at Buffalo, 160 Farber Hall, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
| | - Carrie Esopenko
- Department of Rehabilitation & Movement Sciences, School of Health Professions, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers University, 65 Bergen Street, Newark, NJ 07107, USA
| | - Michael Turner
- International Concussion and Head Injury Foundation, Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, University College London, 170 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7HA, UK
| | - John Leddy
- UBMD Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Concussion Management Clinic and Research Center, State University of New York at Buffalo, 160 Farber Hall, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
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Deshpande SK, Hasegawa RB, Weiss J, Small DS. The association between adolescent football participation and early adulthood depression. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229978. [PMID: 32155206 PMCID: PMC7064245 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Concerned about potentially increased risk of neurodegenerative disease, several health professionals and policy makers have proposed limiting or banning youth participation in American-style tackle football. Given the large affected population (over 1 million boys play high school football annually), careful estimation of the long-term health effects of playing football is necessary for developing effective public health policy. Unfortunately, existing attempts to estimate these effects tend not to generalize to current participants because they either studied a much older cohort or, more seriously, failed to account for potential confounding. We leverage data from a nationally representative cohort of American men who were in grades 7-12 in the 1994-95 school year to estimate the effect of playing football in adolescent on depression in early adulthood. We control for several potential confounders related to subjects' health, behavior, educational experience, family background, and family health history through matching and regression adjustment. We found no evidence of even a small harmful effect of football participation on scores on a version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D) nor did we find evidence of adverse associations with several secondary outcomes including anxiety disorder diagnosis or alcohol dependence in early adulthood. For men who were in grades 7-12 in the 1994-95 school year, participating or intending to participate in school football does not appear to be a major risk factor for early adulthood depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sameer K. Deshpande
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Raiden B. Hasegawa
- Department of Statistics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jordan Weiss
- Population Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Dylan S. Small
- Department of Statistics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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