RESEARCHERS have reported that former professional football players had a higher incidence of dementia compared to the general population.
They reported an increased risk of dementia for these athletes even though rates of several modifiable dementia risk factors among professional soccer players were comparable (or even lower) to those of people who did not play the sport in one study. published in JAMA Network Open.
In their analysis, the researchers used electronic medical record data to examine modifiable dementia risk factors and dementia risk among former male professional soccer players aged 30 years or older as of December 31, 2020.
They then compared the modifiable risk factors and risk of dementia in these athletes with those of matched control subjects representing the general population.
Over a median of 21 years of follow-up, the researchers found 434 cases of dementia among former football players and 453 among their matched controls.
However, despite the higher percentage of dementia, former football players had lower rates of several dementia risk factors compared to the general population, including disorders related to alcohol, smoking, diabetes and obesity.
Meanwhile, researchers noted that the increased risk of dementia appeared to be related to hypertension and depression among former football players.
Emma R. Russell, PhD, of the University of Glasgow in Scotland, and colleagues stated in a commentary that “TBI represents just one of many potentially modifiable general health and lifestyle risk factors for dementia, with the contribution of these broader factors to the risk of dementia in children.” “Contact sports athletes are not fully understood as of yet.”
They added: “These results and findings from previous analyzes suggest” that a sport-associated factor (specifically, exposure to TBI or [repetitive head impacts]) may contribute to the risk of dementia” in these athletes.
“Further research should be conducted to identify tests that detect the earliest rates of evolving neurodegeneration before the presentation of clinical disease in contact sport athletes, allowing timely interventions to reduce the risk of dementia or delay disease onset.” .
“In the meantime, targeted risk mitigation interventions that address recognized and potentially modifiable risk factors should continue.”
Several previous studies have suggested an increased risk of developing cognitive disorders in former football players, possibly due to recurrent incidences such as traumatic brain injuries (TBI).