@article{ref1,
title="No neurochemical evidence for brain injury caused by heading in soccer",
journal="British journal of sports medicine",
year="2007",
author="Zetterberg, Henrik and Jonsson, M. and Rasulzada, Abdullah and Popa, Cornel and Styrud, Ewa and Hietala, M. A. and Rosengren, L. and Wallin, Anders and Blennow, Kaj",
volume="41",
number="9",
pages="574-577",
abstract="BACKGROUND: The possible injurious effect to the brain of heading in soccer is a matter of discussion. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether standardised headings in soccer are associated with increased levels of biochemical markers for neuronal injury in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum. METHODS: 23 male amateur soccer players took part in a heading training session involving heading a ball kicked from a distance of 30 m at least 10 m forward. Ten players performed 10 and 13 players performed 20 approved headings. The players underwent lumbar puncture and serum sampling 7-10 days after the headings. The study also included 10 healthy male non-athletic control subjects. CSF was analysed for neurofilament light protein, total tau, glial fibrillary acidic protein, S-100B and albumin concentrations. Serum was analysed for S-100B and albumin. RESULTS: None of the biomarker levels were abnormal and there were no significant differences between any of the three groups, except for a slightly increased CSF S-100B concentration in controls compared with headers. Biomarker levels did not correlate with the number of headings performed. CONCLUSION: Repeated low-severity head impacts due to heading in soccer are not associated with any neurochemical signs of injury to the brain.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0306-3674",
doi="10.1136/bjsm.2007.037143",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2007.037143"
}