Norwich
\nProfessional footballers are more likely to develop poorer brain health by the age of 65 than non-players, a study has shown.
\nThe University of East Anglia monitored more than 75 former elite players and a group of active non-footballers.
\nLead researcher Dr Michael Grey said footballers did better in the 40 to 50-year-old age group – but worse over 65.
\nHe said there was a \u201cneed to investigate ways to limit damage to the brain as people play sport\u201d.
\nThe study, called Screening Cognitive Outcomes after Repetitive Head Impact Exposure – or SCORES – was carried out by the Norwich-based university to better understand the cognitive health of athletes as they age.
\nParticipants, including former male players Iwan Roberts and Jeremy Goss of Norwich City, and Crystal Palace\u2019s Mark Bright, undertook cognitive function tests and were monitored for early signs of brain health decline.
\nDr Grey, from the UEA\u2019s School of Health Sciences, said the team were testing for \u201cearly signs of cognitive dysfunction that can be identified long before any memory problems or other noticeable symptoms of conditions like dementia become apparent\u201d.
\n\u201cWe know that regular exercise is really good for brain health, and our research confirms that professional footballers have improved brain health in their 40s compared with non-footballers.
\nBut Dr Grey, an expert in the effects of concussion, added that at 65, \u201cthings are starting to go wrong\u201d.
\n\u201cThe over-65s performed worse when assessed for things like reaction time, executive function, and spatial navigation,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cThese are early warning signs for deteriorating brain health.
\n\u201cThis shows us that the exercise associated with playing football is good for the brain, but the negative effects of contact sport do begin to appear later in life.
\n\u201cThis research highlights the need to investigate ways we can limit the damage to the brain as people play sport and to monitor brain health as we get older.\u201d
\nThe research team said the assessments were ongoing.
\n\u201cThe participants are being monitored for changing brain health over time, so we will hopefully follow our cohort of former footballers for the rest of their lives,\u201d Dr Grey said.
\n\u201cThis will give us a really clear picture of the potential damage caused by heading the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Norwich Professional footballers are more likely to develop poorer brain health by the age of 65 than non-players, a study has shown. The University of East Anglia monitored more than 75 former elite players and a group of active non-footballers. Lead researcher Dr Michael Grey said footballers did better in the 40 to 50-year-old age […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":300380,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-300377","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n