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Sports-related concussions — media, science and policy

2016; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 12; Issue: 8 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/nrneurol.2016.99

1759-4766

Rebekah Mannix, William P. Meehan, Álvaro Pascual‐Leone,

Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation

Participants in collision sports show a high incidence of concussion and can have deleterious long-term consequences for brain function. Here, Rebekah Mannix and colleagues discuss the benefits and risks associated with the practice of contact sports and examine how this balance affects policies regarding the practice of collision sports. Although growing awareness about the potential long-term deleterious effects of sport-related concussion has led to increased attention to the risks of collision sports, calls to ban these sports, such as American football, might be premature. Collision sports have a relatively high incidence of concussions, but participation in these sports also confers a host of benefits. In addition, the associated risks of participation, including concussion, have not been definitively shown to outweigh the benefits they provide, and the risk–benefit ratio might vary among individuals. The risks of concussion and repetitive concussions associated with collision sports are unknown in the general population and not well characterized even in elite athlete populations. In this article, we discuss current knowledge on sports-related concussion, its neurological consequences, and implications for regulation of the practice of collision sports.