ArticlePloS one2013
Evidence of cognitive dysfunction after soccer playing with ball heading using a novel tablet-based approach.
Article in PloS one, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 35 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
35 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 87 citations in OpenAlex.
- Heading in Football: Incidence, Biomechanical Characteristics and the Association with Acute Cognitive Function-A Three-Part Systematic Review.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2021Pooled it
- Cognitive and Behavioral Functioning in Female Former Soccer Players: Results from the Head Impact and Trauma Surveillance Study (HITSS).Brain sciences · 2026Article
- Repetitive concussions promote microglia-mediated engulfment of presynaptic excitatory input associated with cognitive dysfunction.Communications biology · 2025Article
- Effects of repetitive head impacts from a single season on the cognitive functioning of youth male soccer players.PloS one · 2025Article
- The Effect of Ball Heading and Subclinical Concussion On the Neuromuscular Control Of The Lower Limb: A Systematic Review.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2023Article
- Quantifying the Magnitude and Longevity of the Effect of Repetitive Head Impacts in Adolescent Soccer Players: Deleterious Effect of Long Headers Extend Beyond a Month.Neurotrauma reports · 2023Article
- REPIMPACT - a prospective longitudinal multisite study on the effects of repetitive head impacts in youth soccer.Brain imaging and behavior · 2022Review
- Altered Brain Functional Connectivity in Female Athletes Over the Course of a Season of Collision or Contact Sports.Neurotrauma reports · 2022Article
- Exploring the Effects of a Neck Strengthening Program on Purposeful Soccer Heading Biomechanics and Neurocognition.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2022Article
- Ball heading and subclinical concussion in soccer as a risk factor for anterior cruciate ligament injury.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2021Review
- Purposeful Heading in Youth Soccer: A Review.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2021Review
- Heading-Related Slowing by Twenty-Four Hours in Youth Athletes.Journal of neurotrauma · 2020Article
- Structure, Intensity and Player Duels in Under-13 Football Training in Switzerland.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Article
- Head impact exposure in youth football-Are current interventions hitting the target?Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports · 2020Article
- No Evidence of Association Between Soccer Heading and Cognitive Performance in Professional Soccer Players: Cross-Sectional Results.Frontiers in neurology · 2019Article
- Investigating the effects of subconcussion on functional connectivity using mass-univariate and multivariate approaches.Brain imaging and behavior · 2018Article
- Neuro-Metabolite Changes in a Single Season of University Ice Hockey Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.Frontiers in neurology · 2018Article
- Sex differences in white matter alterations following repetitive subconcussive head impacts in collegiate ice hockey players.NeuroImage. Clinical · 2018Article
- Comparing fMRI activation during smooth pursuit eye movements among contact sport athletes, non-contact sport athletes, and non-athletes.NeuroImage. Clinical · 2018Article
- Correction: Evidence of Cognitive Dysfunction after Soccer Playing with Ball Heading Using a Novel Tablet-Based Approach.PloS one · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Does frequent head-to-ball contact cause cognitive dysfunctions and brain injury to soccer players? An iPad-based experiment was designed to examine the impact of ball-heading among high school female soccer players. We examined both direct, stimulus-driven, or reflexive point responses (Pro-Point) as well as indirect, goal-driven, or voluntary point responses (Anti-Point), thought to require cognitive functions in the frontal lobe. The results show that soccer players were significantly slower than controls in the Anti-Point task but displayed no difference in Pro-Point latencies, indicating a disruption specific to voluntary responses. These findings suggest that even subconcussive blows in soccer can result in cognitive function changes that are consistent with mild traumatic brain injury of the frontal lobes. There is great clinical and practical potential of a tablet-based application for quick detection and monitoring of cognitive dysfunction.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.