A new study by researchers at the University of Buffalo published in the Journal of Head Trauma and Rehabilitation is calling into question the perceived link between contact sports and the later development of brain disease. An assessment of 22 former Bills and Sabres players found no significant evidence of early-onset dementia that might be a sign of chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
While the group of retired NFL and NHL players believed themselves to be suffering from cognitive impairments, no significant differences were found between them and control subjects who did not play contact sports. The study used neuropsychological tests and questionnaires as well as structural and functional imaging techniques.
“There were no remarkable differences in imaging, cognition, behavior, or executive function from noncontact sport athletes,” the researchers concluded. “The results underscore an apparent disconnect between public perceptions and evidence-based conclusions about the inevitability of chronic traumatic encephalopathy and the potential neurodegenerative effect on former athletes from contact sports.”
That disconnect was also evident in the perceptions of the athletes themselves. The study noted that the players were “more anxious and more likely to report unusual beliefs and experiences.”
SportTechie Takeaway
Research from Boston University’s CTE Center has consistently found high prevalence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in the brains of former NFL players. In July 2017, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that the disease had been found in 99 percent (110 out of 111) of ex-players’ brains. BU’s research has lead the public perception of CTE. However, a consistent concern in the scientific community has been that BU’s sample population only consists of brains from players who showed symptoms of brain disease during life, and that the lack of a control group—players who did not show symptoms, or non-players—may be skewing the results. This new study from the University of Buffalo may serve to correct some of the misconceptions over the prevalence of the disease.