Closed
Professor William Stewart, Glasgow University
£14,892.67* | July 2023 - August 2024
Summary: Several research studies from recent years have reported an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, including MND, in people who have played elite football or rugby, although it is not known what causes this increased risk. One possibility is the traumatic brain injury (TBI) from repetitive head impacts experienced during certain elite-level sports. In this project, Professor Stewart and his team will interrogate 4 million existing health records to understand if there is a relationship between the development of MND and previous TBI.
Why this research is important: If a link between TBI and MND is found in this study, researchers may be able to identify strategies to reduce the risk of developing MND and introduce methods to detect it at its earliest stages.
*This project is co-funded by MND Scotland and MND Association.