Early exposure to repetitive head impacts in tackle football linked to altered brain development

Evidence linking early exposure to tackle football and increased risk of altered brain development has recently been published in the Journal of Neurotrauma by researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (MA, USA) and Brigham and Women’s Hospital (MA, USA). The study is the first to highlight a link between exposure at a young age to repetitive head impacts and structural brain changes. Within the study, diffusion tensor imaging was utilized to compare white matter tracts in 40 former National Football League (NFL) players between the ages of 40 and 65. All of the players also had a history of...