Assessing brain health in retired professional football players

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This project aims to evaluate the prevalence of brain health among retired professional football players compared to matched controls. It involves comprehensive assessments including cognitive and neuropsychological testing, vestibular and ocular-motor evaluations, sleep assessments, and MRI scans. The study focuses on understanding the impact of traumatic brain injury on cognitive, neuromotor, and behavioral functions in these individuals. By gathering clinical, neuroimaging, and biomarker data, the study seeks to provide insights into the long-term effects of playing professional football.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion criteria:

Former professional football player/exposed group:

1. Professional football retiree aged 29-59
2. Played a minimum of 3 professional football seasons, with a minimum of 3 games in each season
3. Fluent in English (translations are not available/validated for most neuropsychological tests)

Control/unexposed group:

1. Age 29-59 male
2. High school education or beyond
3. Fluent in English (translations are not available/validated for most neuropsychological tests)

Exclusion criteria:

Control/unexposed group:

1. Played organized football beyond high school
2. History of severe TBI
3. Current unstable cardiovascular disorder

For both groups:

1. Prior history of psychosis (such as schizophrenia), or other major neurological disorder that would interfere with testing, in the opinion of the primary investigator.
2. Contraindication to MR imaging, such as ferrous metal, pacemakers, or concerns about claustrophobia

Where it's running

• University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurosurgery
  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: David O Okonkwo, MD, PhD — University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurological Surgery
• Study coordinator: Kathryn L Edelman, MS
• Email: dunfeekl@upmc.edu
• Phone: 412-624-1077

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.