Brett Favre announced on Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, drawing attention to the possible connections between contact sports, such as football, and neurological disorders.
Emerging research indicates a potential association between playing contact sports and an increased risk for Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative conditions. One study highlighted that former football players have a 61% greater likelihood of experiencing Parkinson’s symptoms or being diagnosed with the disease.
Favre made his diagnosis public while testifying before Congress regarding alleged misuse of taxpayer funds related to a welfare scandal in Mississippi. His health issue surfaced during the hearing as he spoke about an investment loss from a company he believed was developing a breakthrough concussion medication. “I’m sure you’ll understand why it’s too late for me because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s,” he stated.
The Hall of Fame quarterback, who played 20 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Green Bay Packers, retired 13 years ago and has previously claimed to have sustained thousands of concussions throughout his career. During a 2022 interview, he mentioned that with each hit to the ground, he experienced symptoms such as ringing in his ears and visual disturbances, highlighting concerns over the extent of minor concussions leading to long-term damage.
Sports with frequent collisions, including football, boxing, and rugby, pose risks for concussions and other head injuries. Shannon Shaffer, a nurse practitioner at the Cleveland Clinic and liaison at Rune Labs, stated, “We know that the brain can only take so much, and when there’s this kind of trauma—whether sports-related or not—it will likely have consequences later on.”
Research has shown potential links between repeated head impacts from sports and conditions like Alzheimer’s, ALS, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Multiple studies suggest that experiencing just one concussion can heighten the risk of developing Parkinson’s by over 55%.
The NFL did not provide an immediate response regarding Favre’s diagnosis or the connection between football and neurological diseases. A 2022 study found that a history of playing football significantly increases the chances of showing Parkinson’s symptoms or receiving a diagnosis.
Hannah Bruce, a researcher at the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, noted the complexity in determining the specific role football may have played in Favre’s diagnosis. “It’s hard to say whether it’s solely the football or if other contributing factors are involved,” she explained, indicating a growing number of football players are coming forward with similar concerns.
Neurologists who treated boxing icon Muhammad Ali diagnosed him with young-onset Parkinson’s in 2022, but they were unable to connect the disease definitively to head trauma. Ali passed away in 2016.
Parkinson’s disease leads to the deterioration of nerve cells in the brain, resulting in symptoms like tremors, muscle stiffness, and difficulties with balance and movement. Patients often use medications or undergo deep brain stimulation to alleviate symptoms.
Repeated brain trauma can potentially trigger Parkinson’s disease through inflammation, contributing to nerve cell death over time. However, other risk factors, including age, genetic predisposition, and certain environmental exposures, also play a role.
Dr. Kevin Crutchfield, a neurologist at Hackensack Meridian Health, emphasized that doctors must consider other factors before linking Parkinson’s directly to football injuries, noting that while many former players exist, there hasn’t been a significant surge in diagnoses.
Thor Stein, director of molecular research at Boston University’s CTE Center, indicated that in certain cases, CTE may trigger Parkinson’s symptoms. He observed that numerous ex-football players exhibit signs of CTE, which can only be conclusively diagnosed after death.
“Repetitive head impacts correlate with a heightened risk of developing various degenerative diseases, including CTE and Parkinson’s,” Stein stated, adding that research is showing that for some individuals experiencing Parkinson’s symptoms, CTE might be a more significant contributor than previously understood.
In a 2021 TODAY interview, Favre expressed uncertainty regarding whether he had CTE. Crutchfield underscored the importance of athletes allowing sufficient recovery time after head traumas to prevent serious injuries, warning against the dangers of players concealing concussions to continue participating in games.