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Football and Brain Cell Damage



HealthDay
September 6, 2012


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Transcript

 

We all know professional football is a hard-hitting game now new research provides more evidence that a career in this sport may be linked to degenerative brain disease.

In the study, a team from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health gathered data from more than 34-hundred ex-NFL players with at least five credited seasons on the field. 334 of the players had passed away, allowing researchers to look at cause of death.

When compared to the general American population, the data showed pro football players were three times more likely to die from all neurodegenerative causes.

However, they were four times more likely to die from Alzheimer's Disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS. The position the player held also appears to factor in. So called "speed" players including quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs were at higher risk than linemen.

While the study didn't establish a firm cause and effect relationship with concussions, the research team believes it's something that should be studied further. The complete study is published in the Journal of Neurology.

I'm Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV, with the news doctors are reading health news that matters to you.