Former professional footballers who headed the ball the most in training and matches have been found to be more at risk of dementia.
The second part of the FOCUS study, commissioned by The FA and the Professional Footballers' Association, into heading frequency and risk of cognitive impairment in retired male professional players has been published.
Respondents, who were ex-footballers, were asked how many times they typically headed the ball during a match and training session.
Those who said they headed the ball six to 15 times were found 2.71 times more likely to score below the test threshold in the cognitive status, than those who headed the ball less than five times.
The players who said they headed the ball over 15 times were found to be 3.53 times more likely to be at risk of cognitive impairment.
PFA CEO Maheta Molango said: "The FOCUS study supports existing evidence highlighting footballers' increased vulnerability to cognitive decline in their later years.
"The study, commissioned by the PFA and the FA, provides valuable insights that build on the FIELD study's findings and has further explored the link between professional football, the long-term effects of heading and cognition
