@article{ref1,
title="Participation in pre-high school football and neurological, neuroradiological, and neuropsychological findings in later life: a study of 45 retired National Football League players",
journal="American journal of sports medicine",
year="2016",
author="Solomon, Gary S. and Kuhn, Andrew W. and Zuckerman, Scott L. and Casson, Ira R. and Viano, David C. and Lovell, Mark R. and Sills, Allen K.",
volume="44",
number="5",
pages="1106-1115",
abstract="BACKGROUND: A recent study found that an earlier age of first exposure (AFE) to tackle American football was associated with long-term neurocognitive impairment in retired National Football League (NFL) players. <br><br>PURPOSE: To assess the association between years of exposure to pre-high school football (PreYOE) and neuroradiological, neurological, and neuropsychological outcome measures in a different sample of retired NFL players. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. <br><br>METHODS: Forty-five former NFL players were included in this study. All participants prospectively completed extensive history taking, a neurological examination, brain magnetic resonance imaging, and a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests. To measure the associations between PreYOE and these outcome measures, multiple regression models were utilized while controlling for several covariates. <br><br>RESULTS: After applying a Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, none of the neurological, neuroradiological, or neuropsychological outcome measures yielded a significant relationship with PreYOE. A second Bonferroni-corrected analysis of a subset of these athletes with self-reported learning disability yielded no significant relationships on paper-and-pencil neurocognitive tests but did result in a significant association between learning disability and computerized indices of visual motor speed and reaction time. <br><br>CONCLUSION: The current study failed to replicate the results of a prior study, which concluded that an earlier AFE to tackle football might result in long-term neurocognitive deficits. In 45 retired NFL athletes, there were no associations between PreYOE and neuroradiological, neurological, and neuropsychological outcome measures.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0363-5465",
doi="10.1177/0363546515626164",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0363546515626164"
}