Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Brain damage and memory loss caused by heading
Footballers can suffer brain damage and memory loss by heading a ball, a study says.
Players who head a ball five times a day suffer changes like those seen in patients with traumatic brain injury, brain scans have revealed.
Heading is believed to have killed Jeff Astle, who developed cognitive problems after years of playing for England and West Bromwich Albion.
The coroner ruled that his death in 2002 at the age of 59 resulted from a degenerative brain disease caused by heading heavy leather footballs.
Although the balls used to play the game today are much lighter than those used in the 1960s when Astle was playing, they can still have a significant impact.
Footballs can travel at speeds of up to 34mph during recreational play and double that during professional play.
Using an advanced MRI scanner, US researchers studied the brains of 37 amateur adult footballers.
Players who head a ball five times a day suffer changes like those seen in patients with traumatic brain injury, brain scans have revealed.
Heading is believed to have killed Jeff Astle, who developed cognitive problems after years of playing for England and West Bromwich Albion.
The coroner ruled that his death in 2002 at the age of 59 resulted from a degenerative brain disease caused by heading heavy leather footballs.
Although the balls used to play the game today are much lighter than those used in the 1960s when Astle was playing, they can still have a significant impact.
Footballs can travel at speeds of up to 34mph during recreational play and double that during professional play.
Using an advanced MRI scanner, US researchers studied the brains of 37 amateur adult footballers.
