Age of First Exposure to Contact Sports Is Not Associated With Worse Later-In-Life Brain Health in a Cohort of Community-Dwelling Older Men

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate whether early age of first exposure to contact sports (AFE-CS) is associated with worse long-term brain health outcomes. Design: A cross-sectional, survey study of older men with a history of contact sport participation was completed. Setting: Tertiary care facility. Participants: A cohort of community-dwelling older men dichotomized by using AFE-CS (<12 years vs ≥12 years). Interventions: Independent variables included a dichotomized group of AFE-CS (<12 years vs ≥12 years). Main Outcome Measures: Brain health outcomes measured by depression, anxiety, cognitive difficulties, and neurobehavioral symptoms. Endorsements of general health problems, motor symptoms, and psychiatric history were also collected. Age of first exposure groups was compared using t tests, χ2 tests, and multivariable linear regressions, which included the following covariates: age, number of prior concussions, and total years of contact sport. Results: Of 69 men aged 70.5 ± 8.0 years, approximately one-third of the sample (34.8%) reported AFE-CS before age 12 years. That group had more years of contact sports (10.8 ± 9.2 years) compared with those with AFE-CS ≥12 (5.6 ± 4.5 years; P = 0.02). No differences were found after univariate testing between AFE-CS groups on all outcomes (P-values >0.05). Multivariable models suggest that AFE-CS is not a predictor of depression or anxiety. Those in the AFE-CS <12 group had fewer cognitive difficulties (P = 0.03) and fewer neurobehavioral symptoms (P = 0.03). Conclusions: Those with AFE-CS <12 to contact sports did not have worse long-term brain health outcomes compared with those with AFE-CS ≥12. Individuals with AFE-CS <12 had significantly lower British Columbia Cognitive Complaints Inventory and Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory scores compared with those with AFE-CS ≥12. Clinical Relevance: The benefits of earlier AFE-CS may outweigh the risks of head strikes and result in comparable long-term brain health outcomes.