football concussion

No Link Found Between Adolescent Contact Sports and Cognitive or Mental Health in Early Adulthood

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Adam Bohr, PhD Postdoctoral researcher Department of Integrative Physiology University of Colorado Boulder

Dr. Bohr

Adam Bohr, PhD
Postdoctoral researcher
Department of Integrative Physiology
University of Colorado Boulder 

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response:Recent population studies of former football players from the 1950’s did not observe a relationship between participation in football and adverse cognitive outcomes in late adulthood.

We were able to replicate this finding in a more recently ascertained cohort from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). We did not observe a relationship between participation in contact sports/football in the mid-1990s and impaired cognitive ability or mental health in early adulthood.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: While more research is warranted to understand the risks of contact sports during adolescence, it is important to understand that the exposure of a typical youth participant may differ from cumulative exposure of former professional athletes and that the many benefits of youth sport participation should be weighed against the risks. 

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work? 

Response:We recommend continued follow-up and assessment of the cohort that we studied. As Add Health is an ongoing study, follow-up on these outcomes will be possible into later life.

MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Response: Dr. Adam Bohr and Dr. Matthew McQueen are project coordinator and director respectively of the Pac-12 Concussion Coordinating Unit which is funded in part by the Pac-12 and the NCAA/Department of Defense CARE Initiative. 

Citations:

  1. Adam D. Bohr, Jason D. Boardman, Matthew B. McQueen. Association of Adolescent Sport Participation With Cognition and Depressive Symptoms in Early Adulthood. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2019; 7 (9): 232596711986865 DOI: 10.1177/2325967119868658
  1. https://www.colorado.edu/today/2019/10/18/study-finds-no-link-between-youth-contact-sports-and-cognitive-mental-health-problems 

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Last Updated on October 22, 2019 by Marie Benz MD FAAD