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September 1, 2021 02:02 am

Rugby: Head Impact Study Shows Cognitive Decline After Just One Season

Researchers from the University of South Wales found that over just one season a team of professional rugby players saw a decline in blood flow to the brain and cognitive function -- the ability to reason, remember, formulate ideas and perform mental gymnastics. The paper also suggests that rather than only concussions, repetitive contacts, or sub concussions, sustained through rugby have caused the declines seen in the players. The BBC reports: Some studies suggest professional rugby players may be exposed to 11,000 contact events per season, and more research is beginning to show evidence that it may not be concussions alone that could impact the brain, but the cumulative effect and volume of contact events too. The peer reviewed University of South Wales study, which is funded by the Royal Society Wolfson Research Fellowship, recorded six concussion incidents among all the players that took part over the course of the year. However, all of those involved in the study saw a decline in blood flow to the brain and cognitive function between pre and post-season results. Further findings include a correlation between an increase in contact amount, playing position and rate of decline on the main measures tested. The university team are also working on a similar study, comparing current players and retired players against a control group to determine whether there is a faster rate of decline in brain function in rugby players. They say more research is needed on the long term effects of such a decline. In a statement responding to the University of South Wales research, the sport's governing body World Rugby said: "World Rugby welcomes all research that can inform and support our recently launched strategy to cement rugby as the most progressive sport on player welfare. It is at the heart of everything that we say and do as a sport. World Rugby recently committed to double our investment in player welfare and new concussion research and initiatives. We are currently undertaking a wide-ranging evaluation of contact training volume across the game and look forward to the results of the ongoing Otago Rugby Community Head Impact Detection study using instrumented mouthguards, which is the largest study of playing and training head impacts in men's and women's community rugby."

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