There was an article published recently that talked about how football could play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s and dementia later in life, and it seems to have spawned concern in many parents, and even many senior caregivers who wonder if sports related activities might be responsible for their loved one’s cognitive decline.

Well, there’s good reason for concern because there is some evidence that football injuries can lead to dementia and Alzheimer’s. This study surveyed former NFL players over the age of 50 and found that 6.1% of them had been diagnosed with some form of Alzheimer’s or dementia, which is a scary reality when the national average is a mere 1.2% in the same age group. Of course, experts are also saying that further investigation is needed to determine if this is a reasonable sample, so don’t automatically attribute a life of sports to being responsible for any cognitive decline that your loved one has experienced later in life, and don’t pull your kid out of their weekly sports league just yet. But it is reasonable to recognize that additional protection is needed in order to ensure that the senior years aren’t compromised by taking additional safety precautions during youth activities.

Via: NYTimes

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