(CNN) Sports may be a great way to keep kids active, but a new study of players finds that the earlier players with CTE started tackle football, the more vulnerable they were to emotional and cognitive problems. Earlier studies have shown that the brain may change even after one hard hitMany football players have donated their brains to give researchers a chance to better understand this Alzheimer's like-disease, which has been most commonly associated with former professional football players. After phone interviews with families and friends, the researchers discovered for those players who had CTE, every one year younger the individual started playing tackle football predicted the earlier onset of behavioral and mood problems by 2.5 years and cognitive problems by 2.4 years. That means they experienced earlier problems with memory and planning and organizing skills, they had emotional problems, and they struggled with depression and aggression much earlier than those players that started playing tackle football later. Playing tackle football before age 12 did not, however, seem to impact the severity of the CTE.

Source: CNN April 30, 2018 19:50 UTC