An observational study in Cognitive Impairment and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), sponsored by University Hospital, Strasbourg, France. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 32 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-02.
Sponsored by University Hospital, Strasbourg, France · Observational
Repeated head impacts and concussions may be associated with cognitive difficulties and neurodegenerative changes in athletes. Although this association has been studied primarily in contact sports such as boxing and American football, professional football (soccer) players may also be exposed to repetitive head impacts through heading the ball and sustaining concussions.
This prospective study aims to evaluate the cognitive impact of repeated concussions in male and female outfield football players, including late-career and retired professional players. Cognitive function will be assessed using neuropsychological tests and questionnaires evaluating attention, concentration, executive functioning, subjective memory complaints, emotion regulation, anxiety, and depression. Multimodal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will also be performed to characterize brain imaging findings potentially associated with cumulative exposure to repetitive head impacts.
The findings may contribute to a better understanding of potential cognitive and neuroimaging abnormalities in football players and inform future long-term monitoring and preventive strategies.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with repetitive head impacts and traumatic brain injury. Initially described in boxers, CTE has subsequently been reported in athletes participating in contact sports, particularly American football. Although football (soccer) is generally associated with fewer head impacts than other contact sports, players are repeatedly exposed to head trauma through heading the ball and may also sustain concussions during their careers.
Several studies have reported an increased risk of cognitive impairment among former professional football players. In addition, neuropathological studies have demonstrated neurodegenerative changes consistent with CTE in some former players. Advanced neuroimaging techniques have also identified subtle structural and functional brain abnormalities in athletes exposed to repetitive head impacts, even in the absence of clinically apparent neurological disease. Similarly, reductions in cognitive performance have been reported in athletes participating in contact sports.
The present prospective study aims to evaluate cognitive function and multimodal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in professional football players who are either approaching the end of their professional careers or have recently retired. The study will assess the presence of cognitive impairment and identify imaging abnormalities that may be associated with cumulative exposure to repetitive head impacts throughout a professional football career.
The identification of early cognitive and neuroimaging abnormalities may contribute to a better understanding of the long-term neurological consequences of professional football participation. Furthermore, the results may support the development of appropriate monitoring programs, facilitate the early detection of cognitive impairment, and inform preventive strategies aimed at reducing the neurological burden associated with repetitive head impacts in both professional and amateur football players.
3,941 studies on the registry are indexed under Cognitive Dysfunction; 1,117 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 75 is below the median of 150 across 995 observational studies indexed under Cognitive Dysfunction.
Browse Cognitive Dysfunction studies →University Hospital, Strasbourg, France is the lead sponsor of 999 studies on the registry; 358 are open to participants now.
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Participants will be recruited from professional football players at the end of their careers or recently retired who currently play or have previously played for French Ligue 1 or Ligue 2 football clubs. Recruitment will be facilitated through the support of Dr. E. Orhant, Medical Director of the French Football Federation (FFF), and the French National Union of Professional Football Players (UNFP), which maintains a database of retired professional football players.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Male and female outfield soccer players with no history of concussion and a history of repetitive heading exposure (subconcussive head impacts).
Male and female outfield soccer players with a history of concussion and a history of repetitive heading exposure (subconcussive head impacts).
Male and female soccer goalkeepers with no history of concussion and no history of repetitive heading exposure (subconcussive head impacts).
Attention and Concentration Assessed by the Computerized d2-R Test
Attention and concentration will be assessed using the computerized d2-R test administered remotely. Performance will be evaluated using standardized test scores according to the test manual.
Time frame: baseline
Executive Functioning Assessed by the BRIEF-A Self-Report Questionnaire
Executive functioning and difficulties in everyday executive functioning will be assessed using the self-report version of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version (BRIEF-A). Raw scores for the clinical scales and composite indices will be converted into standardized T-scores according to the test manual. Higher T-scores indicate greater executive-function difficulties.
Time frame: baseline
Executive Functioning Assessed by the BRIEF-A Informant-Report Questionnaire
Executive functioning and difficulties in everyday executive functioning will be assessed using the informant-report version of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version (BRIEF-A). Raw scores for the clinical scales and composite indices will be converted into standardized T-scores according to the test manual. Higher T-scores indicate greater executive-function difficulties.
Time frame: baseline
Subjective Memory Complaints Assessed by the McNair and Kahn Questionnaire
Subjective memory complaints will be assessed using the McNair and Kahn Memory Complaint Questionnaire. The total score ranges from 0 to 45, with higher scores indicating more severe subjective memory complaints.
Time frame: baseline
Emotion Regulation Difficulties Assessed by the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-16 (DERS-16)
Difficulties in emotion regulation will be assessed using the 16-item Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-16). The total score ranges from 16 to 80, with higher scores indicating greater difficulties in emotion regulation.
Time frame: baseline
Anxiety Symptoms Assessed by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)
Anxiety symptoms will be assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), a 7-item patient-reported questionnaire. The total score ranges from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating greater anxiety symptom severity.
Time frame: baseline
Depressive Symptoms Assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)
Depressive symptoms will be assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a 9-item patient-reported questionnaire. The total score ranges from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating greater depressive symptom severity.
Time frame: baseline
No study locations are listed for this record.
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Sep 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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University Hospital, Strasbourg, France →