Research reveals major link between playing football and Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease and related motor symptoms, encompassed by the term “parkinsonism,” have been documented in boxers since the 1920s.

More recently, it has been revealed that repetitive head impacts in American football can lead to lasting neurological consequences, such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). However, the specific link between tackle football and Parkinson’s disease has been lacking in sufficient data.

To address this gap, researchers from Boston University’s CTE Centre conducted a comprehensive study using a substantial online dataset of individuals concerned about Parkinson’s disease. Their objective was to explore the potential correlation between participating in football, particularly tackle football, and the likelihood of being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

The results of their study indicated that individuals with a history of organized tackle football had a 61 percent higher likelihood of receiving a diagnosis of parkinsonism or Parkinson’s disease.

The research involved the assessment of 1,875 sports participants, with a focus on 729 male amateur football players and 1,146 men engaged in non-football sports, forming the control group. These participants were part of the Fox Insight study, an ongoing online research initiative sponsored by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, encompassing individuals both with and without Parkinson’s disease.

Importantly, the researchers found a notable connection between football participation and an increased probability of being diagnosed with parkinsonism or Parkinson’s disease, even after accounting for known risk factors associated with Parkinson’s disease.

The data also revealed that players with longer careers and those competing at higher levels faced higher odds of being diagnosed with parkinsonism or Parkinson’s disease.

Football players at the college or professional level exhibited a 2.93-fold increased likelihood of being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease compared to those who only played at the youth or high school level.

Interestingly, the age at which individuals first started playing football did not show a significant correlation with the likelihood of receiving a diagnosis of parkinsonism or Parkinson’s disease.

The study’s strength lies in its comparison of football players to a distinct group of athletes. Additionally, a noteworthy aspect of the study was the focus on amateur-level football players, which distinguishes it from previous research that predominantly centered on professional athletes.