Youth Soccer Participation and Brain Health Outcomes in Adolescent Athletes - Scorecard - MDSpire

Youth Soccer Participation and Brain Health Outcomes in Adolescent Athletes

  • By

  • Inga K. Koerte

  • Tim L. T. Wiegand

  • Elena M. Bonke

  • Stian K. Sandmo

  • David Kaufmann

  • Caroline Seer

  • Anja K. Betz

  • Alberto De Luca

  • Johanna Seitz-Holland

  • Marc Muehlmann

  • Martin Cente

  • Doron Elad

  • Thiago Santos Monteiro

  • Bettina Schwarz-Mörtl

  • Malo Gaubert

  • Elisabeth Kaufmann

  • Michaela V. Bonfert

  • Florian Heinen

  • Alexander P. Lin

  • Martha E. Shenton

  • Yorghos Tripodis

  • Roald Bahr

  • Peter Filipcik

  • Jolien Gooijers

  • Alexander Leemans

  • Nir Sochen

  • Stephan P. Swinnen

  • Ofer Pasternak

  • REPIMPACT Consortium Investigators

  • Sylvain Bouix

  • Fanny Dégeilh

  • Alexandra Gersing

  • Felicitas Heinen

  • Leonard Jung

  • Janna Buring

  • Paul Raffelhueschen

  • Paula Schorlemer

  • Alexandra Castro Silva

  • Lisa Umminger

  • Tars van Craenenbroeck

  • Sam Lauwen

  • Milan Laurent

  • Mathias Smits

  • Gilles Liesenborghs

  • Janne van Hauwenhuyse

  • Alana Lutz

  • Dogan Hasko

  • Tim de Keyzer

  • Lien Meulemans

  • Serafien D'Hooghe

  • Stijn Coenaerts

  • Lauren Swinnen

  • Inge Leunissen

  • Thor Einar Andersen

  • Erling Hisdal

  • Audun Hustad Torgersen

  • Jozef Hanes

  • Katarina Matyasova

  • June 22, 2026

  • 0 min

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Clinical Scorecard: Impact of Youth Soccer Engagement on Neurological Health in Adolescent Players

At a Glance

CategoryDetail
ConditionRepetitive head impacts in youth soccer players
Key MechanismsAssociation with long-term neurologic sequelae, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy and neurodegenerative diseases.
Target PopulationAdolescent male soccer players aged 14-16 years.
Care SettingMulticenter cohort study across European sites.

Key Highlights

  • Repetitive head impacts (RHIs) linked to long-term neurological risks.
  • Limited evidence on effects of RHIs in adolescents participating in soccer.
  • Study assessed cognition, behavior, balance, neuroimaging, and biomarkers.
  • Participants included soccer players and noncontact sport athletes.
  • Study utilized a multimodal approach for comprehensive assessment.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

  • No formal diagnosis guidelines established for RHI effects in youth soccer.

Management

  • Precautionary policies, including heading restrictions in youth soccer, are being considered.

Monitoring & Follow-up

  • Regular assessments of cognition, behavior, and neuroimaging in adolescent athletes.

Risks

  • Potential for chronic traumatic encephalopathy and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Patient & Prescribing Data

Adolescent male soccer players aged 14-16 years.

No specific treatment insights provided; focus on monitoring and policy recommendations.

Clinical Best Practices

  • Implement heading restrictions in youth soccer where applicable.
  • Conduct longitudinal studies to better understand RHI effects.
  • Utilize multimodal assessment approaches in research.

Related Resources & Content

Original Source(s)

Youth Soccer Participation and Brain Health Outcomes in Adolescent Athletes

  • by Inga K. Koerte, Tim L. T. Wiegand, Elena M. Bonke, Stian K. Sandmo, David Kaufmann, Caroline Seer, Anja K. Betz, Alberto De Luca, Johanna Seitz-Holland, Marc Muehlmann, Martin Cente, Doron Elad, Thiago Santos Monteiro, Bettina Schwarz-Mörtl, Malo Gaubert, Elisabeth Kaufmann, Michaela V. Bonfert, Florian Heinen, Alexander P. Lin, Martha E. Shenton, Yorghos Tripodis, Roald Bahr, Peter Filipcik, Jolien Gooijers, Alexander Leemans, Nir Sochen, Stephan P. Swinnen, Ofer Pasternak, REPIMPACT Consortium Investigators, Sylvain Bouix, Fanny Dégeilh, Alexandra Gersing, Felicitas Heinen, Leonard Jung, Janna Buring, Paul Raffelhueschen, Paula Schorlemer, Alexandra Castro Silva, Lisa Umminger, Tars van Craenenbroeck, Sam Lauwen, Milan Laurent, Mathias Smits, Gilles Liesenborghs, Janne van Hauwenhuyse, Alana Lutz, Dogan Hasko, Tim de Keyzer, Lien Meulemans, Serafien D'Hooghe, Stijn Coenaerts, Lauren Swinnen, Inge Leunissen, Thor Einar Andersen, Erling Hisdal, Audun Hustad Torgersen, Jozef Hanes, Katarina Matyasova

  • June 22, 2026

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