Rugby players face highly increased MND risk: disease study

Multiple studies have shown a link between brain injuries and an increased risk of developing neurodegenerative disease, putting rugby in the spotlight

Multiple studies have shown a link between brain injuries and an increased risk of developing neurodegenerative disease, putting rugby in the spotlight

Rugby chiefs must take urgent action to reduce head injuries after a study indicated that former international players are 15 times more likely to develop motor neurone disease, researchers said Tuesday.

Academics, who studied a cohort of former Scottish internationals, found that, overall, the ex-players were about 2.5 times more likely to develop neurodegenerative disease than expected, compared to members of the general population.

As concerns grow, a group of former players has decided to sue various governing bodies for allegedly failing to protect them from permanent injury.

The results, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, showed that while age at death was slightly higher among former players, they were also at higher risk of a neurodegenerative disease diagnosis compared to their matched controls. 

"This study provides further insight into the association between contact sports and neurodegenerative disease risk," said Glasgow consultant neuropathologist Willie Stewart, who led the research team.

The Motor Neurone Disease Association says the disease affects up to 5,000 adults in the UK at any one time, with a 1 in 300 risk of getting MND across a lifetime.

They said this showed the risks were not confined to professional athletes.

Stewart, whose previous research showed ex-professional footballers had a significantly higher risk of dying from neurodegenerative disease than the general population, said he was concerned that rugby players faced even more risks in the professional era with an increasing number of matches being played.

"I think those conversations have gone on a while and the pace of progress is pretty slow."

Stewart said rapid strides had been made in American football, highlighting the reduction in contact training.

"Maybe you get a better-quality product if the players are less damaged and fitter rather than depending purely on quantity.

Motor Neurone Disease Association director of research development Brian Dickie welcomed the report but said research needed to be extended into much larger populations.

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Originally published as Rugby players face highly increased MND risk: disease study