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Investigating Cognitive Performance Deficits in Male and Female Soccer Players after a 4-week Heading- Training Programme: A Controlled Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 August 2017

Petra Jansen  and
Jennifer Lehmann
Petra Jansen*
Affiliation:
Institute of Sport Science, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
Jennifer Lehmann
Affiliation:
Institute of Sport Science, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
*
Address for correspondence: Prof. Dr. Petra Jansen, Institute of Sport Science, University of Regensburg, Universitystreet 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany. E-mail: petra.jansen@ur.de
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Abstract

This experimental study with a controlled pre-test and post-test group design investigated the possible effects of four sessions of heading training on cognitive performance. A total of 118 participants (mean age of 22.25 years) were assigned to one of the three following groups: a heading-training group, a passing-training group and a waiting control group. The participants completed a cognitive test battery of attention (D2-test), working memory (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task, PASAT-2) and visual spatial intelligence (Mental Rotation Test) tests before, immediately after the second training session and one week after the fourth training session. There were no between-group differences in cognitive performance after the second or the fourth heading training sessions. However, within the heading-training group, women complained more of headaches than men after the fourth training session. These results build on the results from the study of Rieder and Jansen (2011) that showed no neuropsychological consequences after one heading session, showing no cumulative effects of repeat heading.

Keywords

soccerheadingcognitive impairmentsex effectheadacheconcussionmild traumatic brain injury
Type
Articles
Information
Brain Impairment , Volume 19 , Special Issue 2: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury , September 2018 , pp. 133 - 140
Copyright
Copyright © Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment 2017 

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