Characteristics of focused and sustained attention and EEG of soccer players with recurring mild head injuries

Abstract

Injury rates are high among over 250 million soccer players with the head injury contribution ranging from 4 to 22%. The aim of this study is: to determine the probable attentional and cerebral electrical activity impairments as the consequences of mild recurring traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by heading the ball and blows to the head. The study included the experimental sample of 70 male amateur soccer players, competing in a veteran league, with previous senior competition experience, and 70 control subjects with no soccer experience. Cognitive tests were applied on the groups as well as EEG recordings together with spectral analysis. Comparison between the groups revealed significant attention deficits in experimental group (EG) in the tasks requiring simple reaction time (SRT) and attention sustained through a longer time interval. Soccer playing experience affected all the tests’ scores except for the decision response time (DRT). In EG certain EEG changes were found in the fronto-temporal region. EEG changes are attributable to existing cognitive deficits, but they are not specific for any cognitive disorder.