Concussions may not be so harmful for certain athletes, study says

BOSTON - A new study finds that concussions may not put certain athletes at higher risk of cognitive decline later in life.

In the largest study of its kind, researchers from Australia, England, and Harvard analyzed concussion data on more than 15,000 people between the ages of 50 and 90 and found that amateur sports-related concussions were not associated with a higher risk of long-term cognitive decline. In fact, they found that people who reported sports-related concussions had a slightly better cognitive performance than those who reported no concussions, suggesting that the physical and social benefits of sports may outweigh the risk of concussion for amateur athletes.

They warn, however, that the findings do not apply to concussions suffered by professional athletes which tend to occur more often and be more severe. They also caution that concerns remain about kids playing contact sports because their brains are undergoing crucial periods of development, and that efforts should continue to reduce the risk of head injuries among student athletes.