Brain Health in Athletes
'Brain health' is the optimum state of brain functioning that we can achieve throughout our lives. Brain health is not the absence of brain diseases; it's about protecting our brains and reducing risks to our brains. Playing sports is a great way to promote our brain health and build stronger brains, because it involves two key ingredients that our brains thrive on: physical exercise and social connection. However, there is a risk to brain health because of sports-related concussions and head injuries. We want to work towards a better understanding of this risk so that people of all ages can continue to engage in sports and keep their brains healthy!
Mission
The RESOLVE Study will investigate the dementia risk factors in contact-sports athletes from the disciplines of rugby, soccer and GAA/ LGFA, who are retired from high level competition and are aged between 40-59. We will also explore how stimulating lifestyle factors in mid-life could mitigate these risks, with a future hope to reduce them and prevent subsequent consequences.
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Retired high performance athletes will undergo comprehensive assessments of their brain health, involving lifestyle questionnaires, clinical and cognitive tests, as well as brain scans, so that we can learn about the impact of head contact, and importantly, the lifestyle factors that can protect their brains and promote their brain health.
Why do this?
There is no health without brain health.
Playing sports is known to contribute to better Brain Health, and therefore should continue to be encouraged! However, head injuries and concussion are a known risk factor for neurodegeneration and given the higher risk of head injuries in contact sports, we want to work towards a better understanding of this risk and how to reduce it. RESOLVE will share its learnings with sporting bodies across Ireland to encourage safe sports and healthy brains!​​​
Who is funding the project?
The RESOLVE study (Dementia Risk in formEr profesSiOnal athLetes and protectiVE’ factors in mid-life) is funded by a Frontiers for the Future Grant by Research Ireland, to Professors Lorina Naci and Fiona Wilson.
Updates
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We recruit healthy retired professional athletes in middle age (aged 40 - 59) to identify if and to what extent contact sports related head injuries effect the brain, and how we can mitigate any risks to encourage safe playing.
RESOLVE is led by investigators at Trinity College Dublin. Click here to see who is involved in our programme.