July 18, 2026 Issue, Page 11 of 12

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The Elk City News SATURDAY, JULY 18, 2026 • 11 Weekly Oklahoma Oil and Gas Proudly Brought to you by: Oil & Gas Report for the State of Oklahoma for July 7 - 13, 2026 SUBSCRIBE TODAY Current news and great deals delivered right to your door! Former Elite Soccer Players Show Evidence Of Brain Health Changes In Mid-Life LONDON, July 12, 2026 — A Research Institute Centre for Care worse self-rated ability to plan, findings, including the use of an ex- while playing sports. Do what you Takieldeen, MBBCH, Indiana Uni- new study of former elite soccer Research & Technology. “While we focus on and solve problems and panded dataset, integration of addi- can to prevent falls, especially for versity. [email protected] players provides important insights did not find significant differences manage daily tasks, compared to tional biomarkers such as advanced older adults.” • Duration of soccer play and into brain health and player-report- in objective cognitive testing be- the control group. Nearly one-third diffusion imaging and blood-based As a U.S. Centers for Disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy. ed neurological symptoms com- tween the groups, we did observe of former players (31%) scored biomarkers of neurodegeneration, Control Public Health Center of #9837 (Wednesday, July 15 poster). pared to people without a history of important differences in symptoms in the range indicating clinically and longitudinal follow-up. Excellence on Dementia Risk Re- Bobak Abdolmohammadi, B.A., repetitive head impacts, according and brain structure.” significant depression symptoms, “By following participants over duction, the Alzheimer’s Asso- Boston University. babdolmo@ to the first and largest study of its “Research like this helps us bet- compared with 9% of controls, time, we hope to better understand ciation is committed to making bu.edu kind in retired professional soccer ter understand brain health factors while 42% scored in the range indi- how repetitive head impacts may brain health a central part of public players, presented today at the Alz- across the lifespan and reinforces cating clinically significant anxiety influence long-term brain health health. The Alzheimer’s Association ABOUT AAIC heimer’s Association International the importance of injury preven- symptoms, compared with 25% of and neurodegenerative disease, leads the way in raising awareness AAIC is the world’s largest gath- Conference® (AAIC®) 2026 in Lon- tion and monitoring,” said Maria C. controls. and help inform strategies to make about brain health through initia- ering of researchers from around don and online. Carrillo, Ph.D., Alzheimer’s Associ- Brain imaging of 124 former sports safer for future generations,” tives that cover the entire spectrum the world focused on Alzheimer’s The former players reported ation chief science officer and med- players revealed lower gray matter said Thomas D. Parker, B.M., of public health engagement, in- and other diseases that cause de- higher levels of depression and anx- ical affairs lead. “These findings can volume in several brain regions, B.M.Ch., M.R.C.P., Ph.D., senior cluding the recently launched Brain mentia. As a part of the Alzheimer’s iety and had subjective difficulties help players, physicians and sports including frontal, cingulate and author of the study and clinical lec- Health Advancement Institute, a Association’s research program, with thinking and decision-making organizations better understand the thalamic areas that play import- turer and consultant neurologist at destination for researchers, health AAIC serves as a catalyst for gener- skills. MRI scans identified differ- risks of contact sports and how to ant roles in memory, attention, Imperial College London and the care professionals, public health ating new knowledge about demen- ences in brain structure between participate safely.” decision-making and emotional UK Dementia Research Institute practitioners and policymakers tia and fostering a vital, collegial some former players and a com- The study included 142 former regulation, compared to controls. Centre for Care Research & Tech- working to reduce the risk of cogni- research community. parison group of healthy people professional soccer players, ages 30- At the group level, there was evi- nology. tive decline and dementia across all • AAIC 2026: alz.org/aaic with no history of contact sports 60: 126 males who held a full-time dence of reduced brain volume in The study is part of the Advanced communities. • AAIC 2026 online pressroom: or head injuries. The findings add professional contract for a mini- footballers compared with controls. BRAIN Health Clinic Research Additional research on this topic alz.org/aaic/pressroom.asp to a growing body of research, in- mum of three years, and 16 females Researchers report clinical review Programme based at the Institute at AAIC 2026 includes: • AAIC 2026 hashtag: #AAIC26 cluding additional studies reported who competed at the top two tiers of the scans by a neuroradiologist of Sport, Exercise & Health, an inte- • Real-life amateur soccer head- About the Alzheimer’s Association at AAIC 2026, exploring how soc- of the women’s professional game in found that a small proportion of the grated clinical care and research ini- ing and acute elevations in blood- The Alzheimer’s Association is a cer play may influence brain health the UK. They were compared to a scans (~2%) had clinically signifi- tiative investigating the long-term based p-tau217 and S100B. #13279 worldwide voluntary health orga- over time. control group of 56 healthy people cant atrophy suggestive of neuro- effects of repetitive head impacts in (Wednesday, July 15 poster). Mar- nization dedicated to Alzheimer’s “These findings suggest there (43 male) of the same age who have degeneration. Further investigation retired elite soccer and rugby play- loes Ilse Hoppen, Ph.D. student, care, support and research. Our may be measurable effects on brain not played contact sports, served in is required to fully understand this ers. Emma Children’s Hospital and Alz- mission is to lead the way to end health in former elite soccer players the military and had no history of result. The Alzheimer’s Association of- heimer Center of Amsterdam Uni- Alzheimer’s and all other dementia even in mid-life, before clinically repetitive head impacts, concussion Researchers said the combination fers guidance on brain health and versity Medical Center. m.i.hop- — by accelerating global research, apparent neurodegenerative dis- or other neurological issues. of elevated symptoms and altered brain injury risk reduction. One of [email protected] driving risk reduction and early ease would typically emerge,” said Interim analyses of this data- brain volume patterns may suggest its 10 Healthy Habits for Your Brain • Early tau and amyloid pathol- detection, and maximizing quality Caleigh Grace Lynch, M.Sc., lead set revealed that former elite pro- trauma-related neurodegeneration, is “Protect your head: Help prevent ogy following repetitive head im- care and support. Our vision is a author of the study and a research fessional soccer players reported but more research is needed to de- an injury to your head. Wear a hel- pacts in former collegiate athletes: world without Alzheimer’s and all technician at Imperial College significantly higher symptoms of finitively prove this. Future work is met for activities like biking and a care consortium study. #13523 other dementia®. Visit alz.org or call London and the UK Dementia depression and anxiety, as well as planned to further investigate these wear a seatbelt. Protect yourself (Sunday, July 12 poster). Yomna +1 800.272.3900.