Most people play sports for the camaraderie of a locker room, the excitement of witnessing a “buzzer-beating” shot, and the satisfaction of improving their skills. Unfortunately, however, the benefits of sports also need to be weighed with the risks. As the scientific community has learned more about the brain, we have gained key insights into a historically overlooked risk. A recent study performed by Boston University (BU) in their Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center showed a strong correlation between time spent playing hockey and the likelihood of developing CTE.
CTE is a neurodegenerative disorder that occurs from repeated head trauma and can only be diagnosed via post-death autopsy. Symptoms can range from depression to behavioral issues to dementia. BU’s study is the largest study of CTE in hockey players and illuminates the neurological consequences of a player’s time on the ice.
The cross-section of 77 hockey players’ brains were examined for CTE, with the players coming from all experience levels. There were a total of 28 professional players, 19 of which played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Researchers found that 27 of the 28 (96 percent) professional players had CTE, with 18 of the 19 NHL players having it. Out of college, junior, and semi-professional players, 13 of 28 (46 percent) were found to have CTE, and the disease was only found in 2 of 21 (10 percent) youth players. Aggregating these results, researchers discovered that with each year played, there is a 34 percent increase in the likelihood of getting CTE.
In the conversation regarding hockey and CTE, “enforcers” have been a hot topic. Enforcers are hockey players who play very physically and often engage in fights. Many believed that enforcers would be more likely to have CTE, and while the data proved that theory, researchers stressed that the bigger issue is the cumulative impact of playing hockey. While enforcers are at high risk, all players are as well, and the amount of years played is the confounding variable.
Researchers accounted for selection bias when calculating the association between time played and CTE, so while trends from this study are accurate, it is important to recognize that the data from the 77 players alone are not representative of the entire target population of hockey players. The selection bias arises from the fact that families who had reason to be suspicious of brain damage were more likely to donate their loved ones’ brains to research.
Another important point is that the 77 players examined were all male, and there has been no CTE-related research done for women’s hockey. A key difference between men’s and women’s hockey is that body checking is prohibited in the women’s game, so there is significantly less physical contact. This could mean less brain trauma and a decreased likelihood of CTE—but without further research, this theory has yet to be confirmed.
Jesse Mez, a Co-director of clinical research at the CTE Center, stated that “We hope this data will help inspire changes to make the game safer as well as help former ice hockey players impacted by CTE get the care they need.” This research comes with a hope to create initiatives that make sports safer, while preserving the aspects so many love.
Athletics are an immensely popular hobby. Many CA students who participate on sports teams attribute their teams as integral parts of their experience, often thanking them in their chapels. Studies such as this one are vital in advancing sports science, which will help develop techniques and technology to make sports safer so that everyone can continue to enjoy their benefits.