Cognitive impact of repetitive head blows in combat athletes: A cross-sectional comparison

Abstract

Repeated head impacts in combat sports may impair cognitive functions such as memory, processing speed and executive functioning. This cross-sectional study investigated cognitive performance in 63 athletes (M = 25.56, SD = 5.46 years, all men) from combat sports with varying levels of head impact. Participants were divided into three groups: professional impact-sport athletes (n = 21; boxing, kickboxing, MMA), amateur impact-sport athletes (n = 21) and a control group practicing low-impact combat sports (n = 21; judo, wrestling, jiu-jitsu). All completed a neuropsychological battery assessing processing speed, attention, memory, executive functions and visuospatial abilities. Tests included the Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Rey Complex Figure Test, Verbal Fluency, Digit Span and Digit Symbol-Coding (WAIS-III) and the Clock Drawing Test. Results showed that professional impact-sport athletes scored significantly lower in processing speed and verbal learning and memory than the control group. No significant cognitive differences were found between professional and amateur impact-sport athletes. These findings suggest that repeated head impacts, rather than competition level alone, are associated to reduced cognitive performance. Future research should use longitudinal designs, analyze sports separately, include women athletes, and examine emotional and behavioral outcomes to better understand the long-term cognitive impact of combat sports.