Head blows sustained during boxing may lead to serious short-term and long-term brain damage. Symptoms of brain damage may include speech problems, reduced mental ability and difficulties with coordination. Head blows from boxing may also increase the risk of brain-related disorders in boxers, such as dementia and Parkinson's disease. The duration of a boxer's career and number of hits affects the chances of developing chronic brain injury.
Features
According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 80 percent of deaths related to boxing result from head, brain or neck injuries. The association also cites studies showing that 15 to 40 percent of former boxers have symptoms that correlate with chronic brain injury. Symptoms of chronic brain injury may include slurred speech, changes in vision, loss of consciousness and behavioral changes. Boxers with chronic brain injury may not exhibit any symptoms at all, however.
Effects
When the head is hit during a boxing match, microhemorrhages in the brain may occur. Frequent microhemorrhages may destroy brain cells and bring about brain disorders such as Parkinson's and dementia. Amateur boxers, who wear protective head gear, are less likely to experience this condition than professional boxers, German researchers found in a study whose results were published in 2008.
Expert Insight
Research published in the journal "Archives of Neurology" in 2006 examined samples of boxers' cerebrospinal fluid one week after a fight and again after three months of rest. The boxers had an increased level of cerebrospinal fluid the week following a fight. This indicates damage to the neurons and glial cells found in the brain. Evidence of brain damage was also found three months after the match.
Considerations
According to study results published in 2010 in the journal "Psychophysiology," brain responses measured in boxers and fencers showed that fencers have improved attention and motor responses while boxers do not. Also, boxers experienced a delay in the P3 component, a type of neural response. The delay was similar to the one experienced by brain trauma patients.
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