Cerebral and Cognitive Impact of Professional Soccer Practice

NCT04903015 · tracked via the Priya Life Science France tracker

Sponsor

University Hospital, Strasbourg, France

Phase

Not applicable

Started

2022-01-07

Last updated

2025-08-08

Condition(s) studied

Traumatic Chronic Encephalopathy

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

MRI

MRI: The following sequences of the MRI will be acquired during the inclusion visit: * 3D T1 gradient echo (GRE): anatomy; registration; cerebral, white matter, and grey matter volumetry; and cortical thickness; * multiecho 3D T2 GRE: quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), iron overload quantification; * continuous arterial spin labeling (ASL) 3D: cerebral perfusion; * resting-state fMRI: functional connectivity; * 64-direction DTI (b=1000 and 2500): alterations in white matter and its microstructure, anatomic connectivity; * monovoxel spectroscopy of the mesencephalus with short echo time (TE).

Study summary

The objective of this study is to evaluate, using MRI, the microstructural consequences and the onset of any cognitive impairment in professional soccer players at the end of their career, who have experienced repeated minor head injuries. Over the long term, these head injuries could lead to morphological lesions and have an impact on soccer players' cognitive skills.

The main evaluation criterion corresponds to the modifications found on MRI in the professional soccer player group (diffusion tensor, cerebral perfusion, fMRI, cerebral volumetry and cortical thickness, spectroscopy, susceptibility imaging).

This is an exposure/nonexposure study assessing the onset of MRI abnormalities (diffusion tensor, cerebral perfusion, fMRI, volumetry and cortical thickness, spectroscopy, susceptibility imaging) in professional soccer players exposed to repeated mild head injuries, who are either at the end of their career or retired for approximately 10 years, compared to high-level athletes not exposed to head injuries.

Eligibility

Sex

MALE

Min age

32 Years

Max age

55 Years

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

Inclusion Criteria: Exposed high-level athletes: professional soccer players at the end of their career (32- years old) playing in France Ligue 1 or 2 exposed to repeated mild head injuries with no history of severe head injury or cerebral lesion; -High-level athletes not exposed to repeated mild head injuries: control group paired for age with professional soccer players, who have never regularly participated in sports exposing them to head injuries (notably rugby, basketball, handball, American football, hockey, combat sports, etc.) and who have no history of head injury, even mild. Professional tennis players or former players will be preferentially recruited. Exclusion Criteria: * Refusal to participate in the study; * refusal to be informed of abnormalities on MRI * Incapacity to give informed consent or under a legal protection order; * History of cerebral concussion including the presence after head shock of one or more of the following signs or symptoms: a period of confusion or disorientation, a period of loss of consciousness of 30 minutes or less, post-traumatic amnesia not exceeding 24 hours * History of severe head/brain injury; * History of neurological or psychiatric disorder; * Known cerebral abnormality diagnosed by an imaging exam (CT or MRI); * History or regular or occasional consumption of drugs, unweaned active smoking or weaned for less than 1 year, excessive consumption of alcohol (\> 20 g alcohol per day, evaluated with the formula "degree of alcohol × volume in cl × 8/1000"), weaned or not. * Usage of medication targeting the central nervous system in the 2 weeks preceding inclusion in the study; * Prior history of severe hypertension, diabetes, chronic heart disease, progressive or disabling disease; * Contraindication to MRI (claustrophobia, implanted material not compatible with MRI, refusal to be informed of abnormality discovered on MRI);

Primary outcome measure(s)

Abnormalities on MRI in professional soccer players exposed to repeated mild head injuries, potentially related to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, compared to high-level athletes who are not exposed to head injuries. — day 1
This is a study assessing the relation between exposure to mild head injuries during soccer play in professional players and the onset of MRI and neuropsychological abnormalities. The main evaluation criterion corresponds to the quantitative MRI modifications (professional soccer player group compared with control group).

Trial sites (1)

Facility	City	Region	Status
Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg	Strasbourg	France	Recruiting

More University Hospital, Strasbourg, France trials in France

The Interest of Systematic Screening for Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika, in Malaria-negative Return Travelers Active, not recruiting

Dynamical Electrophysiology and Neuropathology in Lewy's Bodies Disease Recruiting

Impact of Perioperative Organ Resuscitation of Brain-dead Deceased Organ Donor on Kidney Graft Function in the Recipient Recruiting

Description of a Retrospective Cohort of Patients With Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) in Internal Medicine Recruiting

Study of the Care Pathway of Patients Admitted to the Palliative Care Unit of Strasbourg University Hospital From Their Home in 2025 Recruiting

Other trials for the same condition

Cerebral and Cognitive Impact of Female Professional SoccerPractice Recruiting

Official registry record

This page summarises publicly available registry data for informational purposes — not medical advice. Eligibility is determined by each study team; patients should discuss participation with their clinician.

View NCT04903015 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ ← All trials in France