Rugby players still feel the impact of multiple concussions even in retirement according to research

Rugby players who have experienced multiple concussions during their playing years will continue to experience an impact on their brain even in retirement according to latest research.

The team at the Neurovascular Research Laboratory at the University of South Wales compared retired rugby players with people of an equivalent age, education, and fitness who had no history of contact sports or concussions.

Researchers found a "lack of concussion awareness during the active careers of the retired athletes" who took part in their study. Professor Damian Bailey said: "They often continued playing despite experiencing classic concussion symptoms."

The study sheds light on the persistent symptoms of concussion experienced by retired players and their impaired cognitive abilities, which may increase their vulnerability to dementia later in life. 

Likely causes for these issues:

• A reduction in blood flow to the brain due to a decrease in nitric oxide availability. Nitric oxide is a vital chemical that helps arteries relax and deliver the necessary oxygen and glucose for proper brain function. 

The research is the first to determine why contact events caused by the sheer physicality of playing rugby union is bad for the brain in the long-term. Professor Damian Bailey said it provides "novel insight into the long-term effects of recurrent concussions". He added that the aim is to help with the development of "targeted interventions to improve brain blood flow and cognitive function".

The analysis focused on the brain health of 20 retired rugby players - they were all around 64 years old, and had suffered concussions over more than two decades of playing at regional and international level.

The data gathered was then compared to 21 matched controls who had no history of contact sports or concussions. The assessments included concussion-related symptoms, blood-borne biomarkers, brain blood flow measurements, and cognitive function tests. 

Researchers also found that after retiring from professional sport athletes undergo lifestyle changes, like poor diet, alcohol dependency and lack of exercise, which might accelerate their cognitive decline.

The next step will be to expand the study to recently retired rugby players to pinpoint the ‘tipping point’ when cognitive decline accelerates.

Athletes from other contact sports like boxing, mixed martial arts, soccer, mixed martial arts, soccer and horse racing could be involved in the next phase of the study.

Researchers will look at those diagnosed with "probable" chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a form of dementia associated with repetitive brain injuries.

Countermeasures will also be looked at like brain cooling and targeted antioxidant therapy for enhanced protection. 

Professor Damian Bailey has also contributed to the first UK-wide Concussion Guidelines for Grassroots Sport, developed in collaboration with the UK Government and the Sport and Recreation Alliance.

These aim to identify, manage, and prevent the devastating effects of head injuries and concussions in various sports. 

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