Dementia / Alzheimer's Disease

 

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in sport is sometimes hard to prevent.  The overall risk of dementia in individuals with a history of TBI was 24 percent higher than those without a history of TBI, after accounting for other risk factors for the disease in a recent review of nearly 2.8 million patient cases in Denmark (Fann, et al. May 2018 The Lancet Psychiatry).

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 A single TBI characterized as severe increased the risk by 35 percent; a single "mild" TBI or concussion increased the risk by 17 percent (Fann, et al. May 2018 The Lancet Psychiatry).

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Some organisations have taken steps to prevent the number of TBI's happening in sport including US Soccer who have banned heading a football for children under the age of 10.  UEFA are also considering taking this type of action depending on the outcome of their current research.

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​But many former athletes are currently suffering the unnerving, ill effects of dementia and quality of life can be negatively affected.

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