The Caring Corner®
The Caring Corner – Link Between Head Trauma, Football and Dementia
If you’re aware of the goings-on at Chapel Hill High School, you may have heard that the school this year is not fielding a varsity football team. Sadly (or unsadly), there are not enough upper classmen who want to (or are allowed to) go out. The school will still have a JV team. Our own son is at Chapel Hill High, and we have “strongly discouraged” his interest in football. The reason? The evidence that links head trauma to dementia.
That link has been bolstered recently by a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association that found that more than 99 percent of deceased pro football players had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a brain disorder associated with repetitive trauma to the head. A great deal of research has connected this condition to suicidal tendencies, dementia and a reduction in executive function and cognitive capabilities. Of course, pro athletes likely incur a higher risk for CTE than student athletes because of the intensity of professional sports and the higher likelihood that they will suffer concussions.
In the study, investigators looked at the brains of 202 deceased men who had played football at varying ages ranging from high school to the professional level. The scientists examined the brain tissues for evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Eighty-seven percent of all individuals studied were found to have the condition. And out of 111 professional football players, 110 had the disease. Unsurprisingly, the severity of the symptoms seemed to increase the more an individual played. Players at the high school level had mild indications of the condition, and a majority of players at the university, semi-pro and pro levels had severe symptoms. The research team also found, through interviews with family members, that mood, memory and behavioral problems were quite common among those individuals with mild to severe CTE.
The scientists who conducted the study are quick to point out that the research has certain limitations. For example, they reviewed a limited sample that, possibly, was skewed. Since awareness regarding frequent head trauma and chronic traumatic encephalopathy is growing, the families of players might have felt more motivated to participate. Also, the study does not address the incidence of CTE among all football athletes.
A number of studies provide additional disquieting facts:
- A report published in early 2018 in the journal Brain noted changes typical of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in the brains of four teenagers who passed away following impact injuries.
- Researchers at Boston University concluded that youngsters who played tackle football prior to 12 years of age might be at higher risk for behavioral and emotional problems in later years.
- One more study examined the MRIs of kids before and after a single season of tackle football. They removed from the analysis anyone who had a verifiable concussion. They found that there was a change in white matter after just a few months of play.
- Many research studies concluded that in sports with similar rules between boys and girls, the incidence of concussion is elevated in women.
- The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine highlighted investigations revealing that women in sports endure more concussions and report more severe symptoms than their male counterparts.
What is happening to youth football in light of this trend? For one, it has created an opportunity for girls to get increased attention on the field. The number of girl players is growing, even as football attracts fewer participants overall. Of course, the sport remains the bastion of male players, with no women in the NFL, and just a few on university teams. But there are girls, playing on otherwise male teams at the high school level, who are earning attention for their skills and accomplishments. For example, one young woman, a kicker in Texas, became the first girl in that state to score points in a high school state championship. And another, a high school quarterback in Florida, threw a touchdown pass; she was the first girl known to do so in the history of the Sunshine State. The surge in women in football is due, no doubt, to many cultural forces, including Title IX programs, the women’s movement, and the overall cultural acceptance of women athletes.
Medical experts frown on the trend of bringing women into the sport. With the increasing evidence that tackle football is harmful to children’s brains, one researcher at a leading university asserted that it makes no sense to expose young people to repetitive blows to the head during periods of growth and maturation of the brain. Scientists observe that the real danger for chronic traumatic encephalopathy is not the concussion per se, but subconcussive trauma. That is, repeated hitting can cause significant damage — even if it does not produce a concussion.
With good reason, there are many programs that are stating to promote flag football as a more prudent alternative for both sexes. Flag football allows them to develop game strategy and develop agility without the risk of being injured by tackling. The Concussion Legacy Foundation, comprised of medical professionals and former pro players, has advised that no one play tackle football before the age of 14. They created the Flag Football Under 14 Program as a way to promote the idea among youth who want to play football. They can start with flag football and then migrate to tackle football. A similar program, which is available to both boys and girls, is the NFL Flag program. From 2012 to 2017, youth participation in the program grew 45 percent to more than 400,000.
