HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: bjsm.2007.037143v1 41/9/574    most recent Submit a response Read responses to this article Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Zetterberg, H. Articles by Blennow, K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Zetterberg, H. Articles by Blennow, K.

No neurochemical evidence for brain injury caused by heading in soccer

¹ Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Neurochemistry and Psychiatry, the Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden
² Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Neurology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden

Correspondence to:
Dr H Zetterberg, Department of Neurochemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Mölndal, S-431 80 Mölndal, Sweden; henrik.zetterberg{at}clinchem.gu.se

Background: The possible injurious effect to the brain of heading in soccer is a matter of discussion.

Objective: To determine whether standardised headings in soccer are associated with increased levels of biochemical markers for neuronal injury in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum.

Methods: 23 male amateur soccer players took part in a heading training session involving heading a ball kicked from a distance of 30 m at least 10 m forward. Ten players performed 10 and 13 players performed 20 approved headings. The players underwent lumbar puncture and serum sampling 7–10 days after the headings. The study also included 10 healthy male non-athletic control subjects. CSF was analysed for neurofilament light protein, total tau, glial fibrillary acidic protein, S-100B and albumin concentrations. Serum was analysed for S-100B and albumin.

Results: None of the biomarker levels were abnormal and there were no significant differences between any of the three groups, except for a slightly increased CSF S-100B concentration in controls compared with headers. Biomarker levels did not correlate with the number of headings performed.

Conclusion: Repeated low-severity head impacts due to heading in soccer are not associated with any neurochemical signs of injury to the brain.

Abbreviations: CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; GFAP, glial fibrillary acidic protein; LP, lumbar puncture; NF-L, neurofilament light protein; T-tau, total tau

Keywords: heading; soccer; cerebrospinal fluid; biomarkers; brain injury

eLetters: