Title: Head Injury, Sport and Health: The Gift That Keeps on Taking.  

Date: Monday 18 December 2023

Time: 3-4pm, refreshments (tea/coffee, hot chocolate and mince pies!) will be served from 2.30pm

Presenter: Prof William Stewart

Chair: Dr Donald Lyall

Venue: Room 103B

If you cannot attend in person but would like to join online please do so with this zoom link https://uofglasgow.zoom.us/j/87055246336?pwd=aXg5RG1nVzY1OE1MeUlqdlVjVloydz09

Meeting ID: 870 5524 6336 Passcode: 627814

Abstract

Abstract: In recent years there has been increasing awareness of potential lifelong brain health consequences of head injuries and head impacts linked to contact sport participation. Reports of unique, head injury associated pathology in former athletes and high rates of dementia and related conditions among former footballers and rugby players have led to calls for changes to sport to reduce head contacts. Over the last few years this has resulted in heading restrictions in youth and adult football and tackle changes in rugby.

But do these initiatives go far enough?  Given our growing understanding of the link between head injuries in sport and risk of dementia in later life, should we think again about buying our kids those football boots for Christmas?

BIO:

Dr Stewart is Consultant Neuropathologist at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, and holds honorary Associate Professor status at the University of Glasgow (Institute of Neuroscience & Psychology) and the University of Pennsylvania (Department of Neurosurgery).

Dr Stewart leads an internationally regarded research laboratory engaged in multiple programs investigating the pathologies of acute and long-term survival from traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Working with the unique and comprehensive Glasgow TBI Archive, Dr Stewart’s research describes the complex neuropathology of brain injury across a range of exposures and survivals, with particular reference to the link between TBI and neurodegenerative disease. Dr Stewart directs the FIELD study, which aims to describe lifelong health and dementia risk in former soccer, and is Co-PI on the multi-centre collaborative research program CONNECT-TBI.