Brain’s protective barrier stays leaky for years after playing contact sports

image via New Scientist

March 21, 2026, 11:00 AM

• •Repeated head impacts in contact sports can lead to chronic brain damage and cognitive decline.
• •The blood-brain barrier can be damaged and leaky decades after athletes retire.
• •Barrier damage is linked to a long-lasting immune response and cognitive decline.
• •Brain scans may one day help identify individuals at high risk of brain diseases.

A recent study published in Science Translational Medicine reveals that the blood-brain barrier, a protective shield in the brain, can be damaged and leaky for years after athletes retire from contact sports. This damage triggers a persistent immune response linked to cognitive decline. Researchers found that brain scans of retired athletes showed significantly leakier blood-brain barriers compared to control groups, even after an average of 12 years of retirement. The study suggests that brain scans detecting leaky vessels could one day help identify patients at high risk of severe brain diseases and offers potential targets for future treatments.

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