A custom-made mouthguard reduces head acceleration during soccer heading and prevents acute electrophysiological and cognitive changes in amateur male players
eBioMedicine. 2025-05-01; 115: 105674
DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2025.105674
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https://www.bordeaux-neurocampus.fr/12533
Pitteu C(1), Lepère P(2), Poisson P(3), Guillaud E(4), Doat E(4), Glize B(1),
Dehail P(1), Cassoudesalle H(5).
Author information:
(1)Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Department, University Hospital of
Bordeaux, Place Amelie Raba Leon, 33000, Bordeaux, France; University of
Bordeaux, INSERM, BPH, U1219, ACTIVE Team, 146 Rue Léo Saignat, F-33000,
Bordeaux, France.
(2)Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Department, University Hospital of
Bordeaux, Place Amelie Raba Leon, 33000, Bordeaux, France.
(3)University of Bordeaux, INSERM, BPH, U1219, ACTIVE Team, 146 Rue Léo Saignat,
F-33000, Bordeaux, France; Oral Medicine Department, University Hospital of
Bordeaux, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33604, Pessac, France.
(4)University Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, F-33000, Bordeaux, France.
(5)Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Department, University Hospital of
Bordeaux, Place Amelie Raba Leon, 33000, Bordeaux, France; University of
Bordeaux, INSERM, BPH, U1219, ACTIVE Team, 146 Rue Léo Saignat, F-33000,
Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: .
BACKGROUND: Repetitive head impacts related to soccer heading might lead to
long-term risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Helping to stabilise the
head-neck-torso complex could be a preventive strategy. This study aims to
investigate head acceleration and heading-related acute electrophysiological and
cognitive changes in soccer players, with a custom-made mouthguard (CM-MG) and
without.
METHODS: In this crossover study, 18 amateur male soccer players (age 22 ± 3 y)
performed ten consecutive headers from machine-projected balls, with and without
a CM-MG. Head accelerations during heading were recorded. Peak force of neck
muscles were assessed. Before and immediately after heading, cognitive function
was assessed, and the cortical silent period (cSP) was measured from the
motor-evoked potentials recorded using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.
FINDINGS: A decrease of 6·40 g (95% CI [-11·74; 39·09]) of mean peak linear head
acceleration was found with the CM-MG (26·43 g) compared to without (34·15 g, p
= 0·01). The peak force of the head flexor muscles was higher with the CM-MG
(172 N) than without (146·7 N), with a mean difference of 19·33 N (95% CI
[13·39; 25·27]) (p < 0·001). The difference in mean cSP between pre- and
post-heading decreased statistically significantly with the CM-MG (-9·17 ms)
compared to without (20·03 ms; p = 0·0016), with a median difference of -22·87
ms (95% CI [-45·85; -4·02]). There was also a decrease in the changes to memory
performance with the CM-MG versus without.
INTERPRETATION: A CM-MG may have the potential to protect the brain during
soccer heading. More studies are still needed to confirm its benefits in all
playing conditions on the field.
FUNDING: This research received two grants from LabEx BRAIN- Bordeaux University
and France Traumatisme Cranien (public sector).
Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2025.105674
PMCID: PMC11999492
PMID: 40179663 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
Conflict of interest statement: Declaration of interests None declared.