Study hints at tackle dangers

A new study suggests a strong correlation between the age at which some athletes begin playing tackle football and the onset of behavioural and cognitive problems later in life, findings that become significantly more pronounced for those who take up the sport before age 12.

Researchers concluded that for every year younger an athlete begins to play tackle football, he could experience symptoms associated with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy 21⁄2 years earlier. Those who begin playing before age 12 could start experiencing symptoms more than 13 years earlier.

The study was published yesterday in the Annals of Neurology journal.

The study comprised 246 deceased football players who had donated their brains to the brain bank run by the VA, Boston University and the Concussion Legacy Foundation. Of that group, 211 were diagnosed with CTE.

While the research did not find a ‘‘statistically significant’’ connection between the age of first exposure and the severity of CTE later in life, the study says ‘‘youth exposure to tackle football may reduce resiliency to late life neuropathology.’’

The researchers warned the results might not be representative of the broader population of football players. It did not include a control group and could suffer from ascertainment bias, meaning families might have been more likely to donate a loved one’s brain posthumously if they suspected something was amiss. The study results included those who had played football in high school, college and professionally.