Growing Number of NFL Retirees Report Memory-related Illnesses

According to a preliminary study, retired professional football players may be at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease or other problems related to memory, adding more weight to the growing anxiety that concussions result to long-term health risks. While the study was not entirely conclusive, experts said that this finding runs in parallel with other studies which suggest the long-lasting health risks associated with sports injuries. In a recent survey, 1,063 NHL retirees were questioned whether they have suffered from memory-related diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Of the ex-players aged 30 to 49, 2 percent answered yes. Compared to the general populace, the result is 19 times higher for the same age group. The 6 percent rate for retirees aged 50 and up was found to be five times more. The University of Michigan researchers spearheaded the study specifically for the National Football League. This particular study has not seen publication in any peer-reviewed journal as of date. Although the results are worthy of advanced studies, David Weir who is the lead author states that the study doesn’t prove any connection between mental difficulties and playing football. Limitations of the study It was noted by Weir that rather than making a review on the actual medical records of survey respondents, the study had depended on a telephone survey. It was noted moreover that the information was sourced from questions taken from old population surveys and with the vague use of words; the results were much more difficult to interpret. On Wednesday, Weir released a statement saying that the study was not meant as a diagnosis on dementia. Also, the study was not meant to establish a direct link between dementia and football. Greg Aiello, a spokesman for the NFL, stated that further studies are already being planned. According to Dr. Anthony Alessi, co-chairman of the sports neurology department of the American Academy of Neurology, studies have shown how frequent concussions can result in early cases of dementia. Alessi also expressed that the subject should be studied more, not just in football but in other types of sports as well. An expert on Alzheimer’s and other memory-related diseases at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York, Dr. Scott A. Small, expressed that the result of the studies is both “intriguing and alarming.” According to Dr. Small, the study result is not a matter of slight importance and, in consequence, additional studies would have to be performed. There are have been studies conducted on deceased athletes and brain samples taken for these studies have indicated a link between frequent concussions and brain changes, with the changes showing similarities as those in Alzheimer’s patients. In a statement by Dr. Small, this only reinforces the need for further studies.