July 17 (Reuters) - Researchers have found evidence suggesting that repetitive heading of balls during a professional soccer career is associated with a higher risk of cognitive impairment in later life, according to a study commissioned by England's Football Association (FA).
The independent research study, jointly commissioned by the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), was conducted by the University of Nottingham and spoke to over 450 retired professional footballers over the age of 45.
According to the study, former players who headed the ball in a match more than 15 times were even more likely to score below the test threshold.
The first findings of the study, released in June, established that former footballers were 3.46 times more likely to have neurodegenerative diseases.
"This study is another step in understanding any potential link between neurodegenerative disorders and former professional footballers," FA Chief Executive Mark Bullingham said.
Persons:
Mark Bullingham, Aadi Nair, Christian Radnedge
Organizations:
England's Football Association, Professional Footballers, Association, University of Nottingham, FA, Thomson
Locations:
Bengaluru