TY - JOUR
T1 - Evidence for acute electrophysiological and cognitive changes following routine soccer heading
AU - Di Virgilio, Thomas G.
AU - Hunter, Angus
AU - Wilson, Lindsay
AU - Stewart, William
AU - Goodall, Stuart
AU - Howatson, Glyn
AU - Donaldson, David I.
AU - Ietswaart, Magdalena
N1 - This work was supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Brain Injury Healthcare Technology Cooperative. This work was supported by existing funding awarded to L.W. as part of Framework 7 programme of the European Union (CENTER-TBI, Grant number: 602150-2). The work made use of a TMS coil to which the company Smartfish contributed £1500 for purchase of. T.DiV.'s postgraduate study is support by the research office of Stirling University. W.S. is supported by a NHS Research Scotland Career Researcher Fellowship. D.I.D. and M.I. are members of SINAPSE – see www.sinapse.ac.uk.
PY - 2016/11
Y1 - 2016/11
N2 - IntroductionThere
is growing concern around the effects of concussion and sub-concussive
impacts in sport. Routine game-play in soccer involves intentional and
repeated head impacts through ball heading. Although heading is
frequently cited as a risk to brain health, little data exist regarding
the consequences of this activity. This study aims to assess the
immediate outcomes of routine football heading using direct and
sensitive measures of brain function.MethodsNineteen amateur football players (5 females; age 22 ± 3 y)
headed machine-projected soccer balls at standardized speeds, modelling
routine soccer practice. The primary outcome measure of corticomotor
inhibition measured using transcranial magnetic stimulation, was assessed prior to heading and repeated immediately, 24 h, 48 h and 2 weeks post-heading. Secondary outcome measures were cortical excitability, postural control, and cognitive function.ResultsImmediately
following heading an increase in corticomotor inhibition was detected;
further to these electrophysiological alterations, measurable reduction
memory function were also found. These acute changes appear transient,
with values normalizing 24 h post-heading.DiscussionSub-concussive head impacts routine in soccer heading are associated with immediate, measurable electrophysiological and cognitive impairments.
Although these changes in brain function were transient, these effects
may signal direct consequences of routine soccer heading on (long-term)
brain health which requires further study.
AB - IntroductionThere
is growing concern around the effects of concussion and sub-concussive
impacts in sport. Routine game-play in soccer involves intentional and
repeated head impacts through ball heading. Although heading is
frequently cited as a risk to brain health, little data exist regarding
the consequences of this activity. This study aims to assess the
immediate outcomes of routine football heading using direct and
sensitive measures of brain function.MethodsNineteen amateur football players (5 females; age 22 ± 3 y)
headed machine-projected soccer balls at standardized speeds, modelling
routine soccer practice. The primary outcome measure of corticomotor
inhibition measured using transcranial magnetic stimulation, was assessed prior to heading and repeated immediately, 24 h, 48 h and 2 weeks post-heading. Secondary outcome measures were cortical excitability, postural control, and cognitive function.ResultsImmediately
following heading an increase in corticomotor inhibition was detected;
further to these electrophysiological alterations, measurable reduction
memory function were also found. These acute changes appear transient,
with values normalizing 24 h post-heading.DiscussionSub-concussive head impacts routine in soccer heading are associated with immediate, measurable electrophysiological and cognitive impairments.
Although these changes in brain function were transient, these effects
may signal direct consequences of routine soccer heading on (long-term)
brain health which requires further study.
KW - Sports concussion
KW - Sub-concussion
KW - Transcranial magnetic stimulation
KW - Traumatic brain injury
U2 - 10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.10.029
DO - 10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.10.029
M3 - Article
C2 - 27789273
AN - SCOPUS:85005990006
SN - 2352-3964
VL - 13
SP - 66
EP - 71
JO - EBioMedicine
JF - EBioMedicine
ER -