Cognitive and Neuropsychiatric Function in Former American Football Players.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Repetitive head impacts (RHI) from American football have been associated with later-life cognitive and neuropsychiatric changes. Findings have been limited by small samples, focus on elite players, and lack of appropriate control groups.

Objective

To assess the association between American football participation and cognitive and neuropsychiatric function in men 40 years or older.

Design, setting, and participants

In this cross-sectional study, online data from male football players in the Head Impact & Trauma Surveillance Study (HITSS) were collected between March 7, 2022, and April 9, 2025. In a subanalysis, football players were matched to Brain Health Registry controls without RHI.

Exposures

RHI proxies, including self-reported total years of fo

SUBMITTER: Aaronson A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12949441 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature