Soccer position could influence risk of brain disease | Science | AAAS

Soccer position could influence risk of brain disease | Science | AAAS: Should%20soccer%20balls%20come%20with%20a%20health%20warning%3F%20Many%20experts%20are%20asking%20this%20question%20now%20that%20new%20evidence%20suggests%20a%20popular%20move%u2014%u201Cheading%u201D%20the%20ball%u2014could%20increase%20the%20risk%20of%20developing%20brain%20diseases%20such%20as%20dementia%2C%20The%20Herald%20reports.%20Previously%2C%20researchers%20had%20shown%20professional%20soccer%20players%20were%20more%20at%20risk%20of%20developing%20Alzheimer%u2019s%20disease%20than%20regular%20people%u2014and%20more%20likely%20to%20die%20of%20neurodegenerative%20diseases.%20A%20new%20analysis%20of%20those%20results%20shows%20defenders%2C%20who%20head%20the%20ball%20most%20often%2C%20are%20almost%20five%20times%20more%20likely%20to%20develop%20a%20brain%20disease%20than%20the%20average%20person.%20Forwards%2C%20offensive%20players%20most%20responsible%20for%20scoring%20goals%2C%20suffered%20significantly%20less%20risk%20and%20goalkeepers%2C%20who%20almost%20never%20head%20the%20ball%2C%20had%20risks%20comparable%20to%20average%20people%2C%20researchers%20report%20in%20JAMA%20Neurology%20this%20week.%20The%20research%20also%20shows%20athletes%20who%20played%20professionally%20for%20more%20than%2015%20years%2C%20regardless%20of%20position%2C%20were%20at%20higher%20risk%20of%20developing%20brain%20diseases.%0A