22 Oct No Link Found Between Adolescent Contact Sports and Cognitive or Mental Health in Early Adulthood
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
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:
- 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
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Last Updated on October 22, 2019 by Marie Benz MD FAAD