NFL players 3 times more likely to suffer neurodegenerative diseases
Houston brain injury attorneys point out that a research study just published in the medical journal Neurology indicates that NFL players are 3 to 4 times more likely than the general population to suffer from neurodegenerative brain diseases. The study shows even higher risk factors for those NFL players who played positions associated with “velocity.” But the research study does not definitely draw the conclusion that repeated blows to the head were the cause of the increased risk factors, even though that conclusion is implied.
The research study in Neurology by the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health followed a subset almost 3.500 retired NFL players who had been in the football league from 1959 to 1988. Our Houston brain injury attorneys note that the Neurology study researchers evaluated the autopsies of 334 of the former NFL players to look for evidence of neurological deterioration at the time of death.
The study found risk factors for Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) that were three times higher than those for the general population. In addition, the former NFL players had died at an average age of 57, somewhat younger than the average age of death in the general population.
The high incidence of neurodegenerative disorders at a younger age in the former NFL players was viewed as significant. While the study did not specifically address chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) as a cause of death, since it was not a component of the original data set and is often misdiagnosed, some medical experts have been quick to point out that some of the deaths could have actually been from misdiagnosed CTE.
CTE is a neurodegenerative disease that has Alzheimer’s-like symptoms, but can only be diagnosed after death by a special chemical test on brain tissue. The Houston brain injury attorneys at Denena & Points emphasize that CTE has been linked to trauma from repeated blows to the head and came to wide attention after a former Chicago Bears football player that committed suicide was found to have had the disorder. CTE causes depression, memory loss, and mood swings.
Over 2,000 former pro football players are angry about the potential for neurodegenerative diseases that they face. These men have filed a lawsuit against the NFL claiming that the league downplayed and misrepresented the risks associated with repeated concussions. The NFL has asserted that it has always considered player safety a priority. On the same day that the Neurology study was published, the NFL announced a $30 million donation to the NIH Foundation to benefit efforts to better understand neurodegenerative disorders.
NFL statements aside, the heightened risk of pro football players for neurodegenerative brain diseases remains a glaring fact. Repeated damage from multiple traumatic brain injuries over time has been shown to take a serious toll on athletes. Increasing numbers of studies are focused on this problem and government agencies, parents, sports leagues and others are taking measures to try and reduce the risks. But probably nothing other than a retreat from serious contact sports can greatly reduce the risk. Learn more about traumatic brain injuries in our Houston brain injury attorneys’ in-depth article on the topic by clicking here.