SAN DIEGO, May 08 (Reuters Health) - Head trauma from football injuries may lead to neurological problems in later life, according to the first scientific survey of head injuries in professional football players, presented recently during the American Academy of Neurology's 52nd annual meeting.

A survey of over 1,000 retired pro football players found 60% had experienced at least one concussion during their playing career, and 26% had suffered three or more concussions.

Compared with players who had not had a concussion, those who had were more likely to have neurological complaints, including memory problems, speech or hearing impairments, numbness in their extremities, and headaches.

The new results support previous findings of cumulative and long-term neurological effects from repeated blows to the head, such as the "punch-drunk" syndrome of speech and movement impairments seen in some retired boxers.

"Although a great deal is written in the lay press about this issue... there is little documentation in the medical literature," said Dr. Barry Jordan, director of the Brain Injury Program at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in White Plains, New York, and primary author of the study.

"Our results should be interpreted with caution because they were obtained from a questionnaire," said Jordan in a statement. "Further research is needed, and the next step would be to conduct a follow-up study on football players reporting neurological problems to determine if they exhibit clinical evidence of neurological impairment. Those with impairment would be compared to those without impairment in order to determine possible risk factors."

Jordan believes that if the study's results are confirmed by future research, football players will need regular tests for potential neurological symptoms.

The National Football League Players Association provided the funds that allowed Jordan and co-author Dr. Julian Bailes of Orlando, Florida, to conduct the study.

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