Professional soccer players may have a much higher risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases like dementia, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s than the general population, a new study finds.
When it comes to traumatic brain injury and the link to brain disorders like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) or Alzheimer’s, researchers have primarily focused on the impact of contact sports like football or hockey.
Football, which is perhaps the one sport most likely to damage a player’s brain during tackles and hits, has been shown to physically change the brain. And in a major study published a few years ago, researchers found that of 111 deceased NFL football players, 110 had brains showing signs of CTE.
But research is beginning to show that other sports, like martial arts or soccer, may be just as dangerous.
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