Motor neurone risk for sports stars
TOP rugby stars are 10 times more likely to develop motor neurone disease than the rest of us, groundbreaking research has found.
The study also concluded that ex-rugby union internationals are at double the risk of a dementia diagnosis.
Consultant neuropathologist Professor Willie Stewart, who leads the research, said urgent work was needed to “explore the specific association between rugby and the devastating condition of motor neurone disease”.
The landmark FIELD study has already produced the first data on neurodegenerative risks among former football stars, funded by the FA and players’ union the PFA.
A continuation of this pioneering research into brain health in contact sport, the new study is the most detailed ever into risks among ex-rugby players.
Prof Stewart said: “This latest work demonstrates that risk of neurodegenerative disease is not isolated to former footballers, but also a concern for former rugby players.
“It provides further insight into the association between contact sports and neurodegenerative disease risk. Of particular concern are the data on motor neurone disease risk.”
Led by the University of Glasgow, the research team compared health outcomes among 412 male, Scottish, former international rugby players and over 1,200 matched individuals from the general population.
Health records on death certificates, data on hospitalisation and medication prescribed for dementia, and causes of death were also included in the study.
It was found that former international rugby players had approximately a two and a half times higher risk of neurodegenerative disease than expected, though it made no difference what position they played.
The study also found that although rugby union players had a higher risk of death from neurodegenerative disease, they were less likely to die of respiratory disease.
Prof Stewart added: “Taking these new results in rugby, together with our pathology work and previous FIELD studies in football, the risk exposure of concern must remain repetitive head impacts and head injuries.
“Precautionary approaches should be adopted to reduce unnecessary head impacts and better manage head injuries across all contact sports.”
The findings were published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.