Soccer heading may lead to more severe brain damage than previously believed, based on new research findings.
Soccer heading may pose greater risks to brain health than earlier thought, according to research that will be presented next week at the annual conference of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Heading is a common technique in soccer where players direct the ball by striking it with their head. Recent studies have explored the connection between repeated head impacts and neurodegenerative conditions like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
“The possible consequences of repeated head impacts in sports are more extensive than what we previously understood, affecting areas similarly to those observed with CTE pathology,” stated Dr. Michael L. Lipton, the study’s lead author and a professor of radiology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York. “This raises concerns about the long-term harmful effects of head impacts.”
While earlier studies noted injuries in the brain’s white matter in soccer players, Dr. Lipton and his team adopted a novel approach using advanced imaging technology known as diffusion MRI to closely examine the microstructure near the brain’s surface.
To investigate how repeated heading impacts the brain, researchers compared brain MRIs from 352 amateur male and female soccer players aged 18 to 53 with MRIs from 77 athletes from non-contact sports, such as running.
Soccer players who frequently headed the ball exhibited abnormalities in the white matter adjacent to the sulci—deep grooves on the brain’s surface. These variations are typically present in cases of severe traumatic brain injuries.
The irregularities were most evident in the frontal lobe, which is particularly vulnerable to trauma and often affected during heading. A higher number of repetitive head impacts was also linked to a decline in verbal learning abilities.
“Our findings indicate that the white matter irregularities could explain how heading contributes to diminished cognitive function,” explained Dr. Lipton.
The majority of study participants had never experienced a concussion or been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, suggesting that even repeated head impacts without severe injuries might harm the brain.
“This research highlights structural brain changes due to repeated head impacts in otherwise healthy athletes,” Dr. Lipton noted. “These changes occur in areas commonly associated with CTE, are linked to decreased cognitive task performance, and may affect future brain function.”
The study’s findings also apply to head injuries in other contact sports. The research team emphasizes the need to understand the risks associated with repeated head impacts and their long-term effects on brain health.
“Understanding the risks of repetitive head impacts can help promote safer participation in sports to enhance benefits while reducing potential harm,” Dr. Lipton added. “The next phase of our study is underway, focusing on the brain mechanisms behind these MRI findings and possible protective factors.”
Co-authors of the study include Bluyé Demessie, A.B., M.S., Walter F. Stewart, Ph.D., Richard B. Lipton, M.D., Molly E. Zimmerman, Ph.D., Mimi Kim, Sc.D., Kenny Ye, Ph.D., Thomas Kaminski, and Roman Fleysher, Ph.D.
This study received funding from the National Institutes of Health and The Dana Foundation.
