New Study Reveals High Risk of CTE in Rugby Players
A recent study has shed light on the alarming increase in the risk of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) among rugby players. CTE is a degenerative brain disease that is believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, causing the brain to be subjected to trauma and damage. The findings from this study suggest that for every year of rugby play, the risk of developing CTE increases by 14%.
CTE typically manifests in later life and is associated with memory problems, mood changes, depression, and dementia. It is worth noting that individuals as young as 17 have been diagnosed with this condition. In the study, researchers examined the brains of 31 former rugby union players who had donated their brains for research purposes. Shockingly, around two-thirds (68%) of the examined brains exhibited signs of CTE, which highlights the scale of the problem.
The study also found that the risk of developing CTE is directly linked to the length of a player’s rugby career. Each additional year of play adds 14% to the risk of developing this debilitating condition. Notably, concussions were not the sole contributor to CTE risk. Even players who had experienced non-concussive head impacts throughout their careers were susceptible to CTE. Such findings emphasize the urgent need to reduce both the frequency and intensity of head impacts in contact sports like rugby.
Ann McKee, a neuropathologist at the Boston University CTE Center and study author, emphasizes that CTE is a preventable disease. In order to protect players and prevent CTE, there is an immediate need to minimize the number and strength of head impacts in rugby and other contact sports. The study’s results constitute another addition to the growing body of evidence indicating the detrimental effects of contact sports on brain health.
The prevalence of CTE in contact sports is not limited to professional athletes; even amateur players face a considerable risk. Additionally, this risk applies to both male and female sports stars. The study’s findings echo those of previous research conducted on NFL players, where over 90% of former athletes were diagnosed with CTE post-mortem. Studies focusing on soccer, Australian rules football (AFL), and now rugby players have yielded similar alarming results.
While rugby union carries a higher risk of concussion compared to other contact sports, there have been relatively few reported cases of CTE among former rugby players. Tara Spires-Jones, a neuroscientist at the University of Edinburgh, emphasizes that while this recent study did observe brain pathology in amateur rugby players, the strongest evidence linking contact sports to neurodegeneration comes from professional or elite athletes.
The evidence surrounding CTE and its risk factors suggests that repeated head impacts, irrespective of concussion symptoms, pose the greatest threat. This underlines the need to reduce the number and severity of head impacts during both practice and games. Researchers believe that adopting such measures in football, for example, could significantly decrease the likelihood of long-term brain damage.
In conclusion, the latest study provides further evidence of the high risk of CTE among rugby players. It underscores the importance of implementing preventive measures to minimize head impacts and protect the brain health of players. The findings serve as a wake-up call for the sports industry to prioritize the safety and well-being of athletes by promoting safer practices and mitigating the risk of long-term cognitive impairment.
