TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2016//
TI  - Participation in pre-high school football and neurological, neuroradiological, and neuropsychological findings in later life: a study of 45 retired National Football League players
JO  - American journal of sports medicine
A1  - Solomon, Gary S.
A1  - Kuhn, Andrew W.
A1  - Zuckerman, Scott L.
A1  - Casson, Ira R.
A1  - Viano, David C.
A1  - Lovell, Mark R.
A1  - Sills, Allen K.
SP  - 1106
EP  - 1115
VL  - 44
IS  - 5
N2  - 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>
LA  - en
SN  - 0363-5465
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0363546515626164
ID  - ref1
ER  -