Estimated Age of First Exposure to American Football and Neurocognitive Performance Amongst NCAA Male Student-Athletes: A Cohort Study.
Jaclyn B CacceseRyan M DeWolfThomas W KaminskiSteven P BroglioThomas W McAllisterMichael McCreaThomas A Buckleynull nullPublished in: Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) (2020)
Our findings indicate that participation in American tackle football before age 12 years does not result in neurocognitive deficits in college. Therefore, we suggest the following: the consequences of early exposure to repetitive head impacts do not manifest by college, the ImPACT test was not sensitive enough to identify the effects of an earlier estimated age of first exposure, or there is no association between an earlier estimated age of first exposure and neurocognitive functioning. Future longitudinal studies are warranted.