The largest study of its kind has been published, finding that former NFL players are nearly four times as likely to die from neurodegenerative disease, including dementia, Parkinson’s and ALS, compared to the general population, although the players were likely to live longer on average than the rest of us.
EClinicalMedicine is the source of the information in a study that involved Mass General Brigham, Boston University, and the Concussion & CTE Foundation, examining more than 19,824 former athletes playing in the NFL from 1960-2019. Researchers determined that former players who played in the league experienced lower death rates from heart disease and cancer and lived more generally than average.
Their chance of death from neurodegenerative disorders, however, was notably higher, and individuals formerly playing in the NFL were three times more likely to pass from dementia, compared with the rest of the world.
They also died of Parkinson’s Disease nearly four times as often as people typically do. Study: Nearly Fourfold Increased Likelihood for NFL Players of Dying From Neurodegenerative Disease, says Jesse Mez, an Associate Director of Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, a member of the research team and an MD who also consults on the study and has previously confirmed his own brain would be donated post-mortem for examination.
CTE, the only disease that can only be confirmed by posthumous autopsy, can cause memory impairment, depression, confusion, aggression, and dementia among other things; its diagnosis is tied to head injury and degenerative process within the brain itself, according to some reports.
A CTE Diagnosis Made In Marshawn Kneeland – Former Dallas Defensive End. The study authors say that they have come up with that estimate after identifying almost half of all cases involving the premature death of athletes who went through brain autopsy to show signs of some variety of the illness.
Researchers believe this number may be somewhat obscured by the fact that these athletes were likely very healthy and didn’t experience many early heart issues, which would otherwise have claimed their lives.
Researchers noted, “NFL players who have such cardiovascular health may avoid death from heart or lung problems at an early age, but they are not going to have better brain health”.
