WASHINGTON, DC -- Playing contact sports can injure the brain even if head impacts don't result in concussions, according to new research presented today at Neuroscience 2017, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health. The studies also suggest that relatively simple changes in equipment and athlete education could improve safety.
The risks of head injuries in sports have gained widespread attention in recent years, as studies of National Football League (NFL) players reveal the high prevalence of a neurodegenerative disease that impairs memory and changes personality. Although the focus has been on concussion, evidence indicates that less severe hits to the brain can also cause lasting damage.
Today's new findings show that:
"Today's findings continue to emphasize the dangers of head injuries in sports, as well as reveal specifics on the way particular brain regions are affected," said Linda Noble, PhD, of the University of Texas at Austin and an expert on brain injuries. "Understanding how athletes think about concussion -- when choosing their equipment or reporting injury -- can help create better policies that will keep them safer."
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This research was supported by national funding agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, as well as other public, private, and philanthropic organizations worldwide. Find out more about concussions on BrainFacts.org .
The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is an organization of nearly 37,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and nervous system.