Actively Recruiting
Cerebral and Cognitive Impact of Professional Soccer Practice
Led by University Hospital, Strasbourg, France · Updated on 2025-08-08
80
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
213 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
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.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Cerebral and Cognitive Impact of Professional Soccer Practice
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Male professional soccer players aged 32 years or older playing in France Ligue 1 or 2, exposed to repeated mild head injuries and no history of severe head injury or cerebral lesion
- High-level athletes matched for age who have never regularly participated in sports exposing them to head injuries such as rugby, basketball, handball, American football, hockey, or combat sports
- Control athletes preferably professional or former professional tennis players
You will not qualify if you...
- Refusal to participate or refusal to be informed of MRI abnormalities
- Inability to give informed consent or under legal protection
- History of cerebral concussion with confusion, disorientation, loss of consciousness of 30 minutes or less, or post-traumatic amnesia not exceeding 24 hours
- History of severe head or brain injury
- History of neurological or psychiatric disorders
- Known brain abnormalities diagnosed by imaging exams such as CT or MRI
- History or current use of drugs, active smoking or stopped less than 1 year ago, excessive alcohol consumption over 20 g/day
- Use of central nervous system medication within 2 weeks prior to study inclusion
- History of severe hypertension, diabetes, chronic heart disease, or progressive/disabling diseases
- Contraindications to MRI including claustrophobia, incompatible implants, or refusal to be informed of abnormalities found on MRI
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg
Strasbourg, France, 67000
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
S
Stéphane KREMER, MD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
SCREENING
Number of Arms
2
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