NFL players who started playing tackle football before the age of 12 are more likely to suffer from cognitive problems later in life, a new study says.
The study, by researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine, was conducted on 42 retired players between the ages of 41 and 65. All the players had suffered cognitive problems in the previous six months but symptoms were worse among those who had played tackle football before the age of 12. The results were adjusted for the players’ experience in the league and their ages. The tests covered areas such as learning new words and mental flexibility. The brains of most boys are thought to have gone through key stages of development by the age of 12.
“Being hit in the head repeatedly through tackle football during a critical time in brain development may be associated with later life cognitive difficulties,” said Robert Stern, one of the authors of the report. “The take home message is, the earlier you start, the more issues you may have.”
While Stern emphasised that the results were only applicable to NFL players rather than the population in general, it is likely to raise fears among some parents whose children play football. Many junior leagues limit contact but some play tackle football with players as young as five.
Stern said further research was needed to see if the effects were the same for players whose experience was limited to high school and college.
