New research from Trinity College will investigate the links between sport-related brain injury and dementia risk in later life. The authors are seeking retired high-performance contact sports athletes are being asked to participate in the study.

 

The RESOLVE study, led by researchers in Trinity, will also explore how to reduce dementia risk through lifestyle changes, such as managing blood pressure and implementing exercise programmes.

 

The research team is looking to recruit 360 contact-sports athletes from the disciplines of rugby, soccer and Gaelic games, who are retired from high level competition and aged between 40-59.

 

It is the first time this type of research has been conducted at such a large scale in Ireland, and it will also be one of the largest international longitudinal studies of the brain health of mid-life contact-sports athletes. 

 

Player and welfare representatives from several sporting bodies, including Rugby Players Ireland, Football Association of Ireland, Professional Footballers Association of Ireland, Ladies Gaelic Football Association and Gaelic Athletic Association, are collaborating with the research team on the recruitment of participants for the study.

 

The RESOLVE study, ‘Dementia Risk in formEr profesSiOnal athLetes and protectiVE’ factors in mid-life’, is funded by a recent €1.3 million Frontiers for the Future Programme Award from Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland to Prof Lorina Naci, from the School of Psychology, and Professor Fiona Wilson, from the School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin.