Repeated Blows to the Head in Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts Linked to Smaller Brain Volume

It turns out that repeated blows to the head may just be linked to smaller volumes of certain parts of the brain, and even slower processing speeds. The findings show the importance of protecting your head-especially when considering sports like boxing or martial arts.

In order to understand the effects that these sports might have on the human brain, the researchers examined 224 professional fighters. These included 131 mixed martial arts fighters and 93 boxers. In addition, the researchers included 22 people with no history of head trauma, but who were matched for age and educational attainment.

The researchers conducted an MRI on all participants. This scan assessed brain volume at the start of the study and then annually for four years after that. The scientists also tested the volunteers' verbal memory, processing speed, fine motor skills and reaction times. The researchers also calculated Fight Exposure Score, or FES, which combines duration and intensity of a fight career.

So what did the scientists find? The higher the FES was, the smaller the volume of the brain-especially the thalamus and caudate. In addition, smaller volumes and higher FES were associated with slower brain processing speeds, with an estimated .19 percent reduction in processing speed per fight and a 2.1 percent reduction for each increase in FES.

That's not all the researchers found, though. They also noted that boxers fared worse than martial arts combatants, irrespective of their age. The brain volumes were smaller and they were mentally slower than the martial arts fighters.

"Perhaps the most obvious explanation is that boxers get hit in the head more," write the authors in a news release. "In addition to trying to concuss (ie knock out) their opponent, martial arts fighters can utilize other combat skills such as wrestling and jiu jitsu to win their match by submission without causing concussion."

The findings reveal that repeatedly blows to the head can greatly impact the brain. More specifically, this study shows that there may need to be future regulations that set criteria for required neurological checks or retirement from the sport.

The findings are published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

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