Discussion 3

Is Football Worth Dementia?  We now know that concussions cause permanent brain damage, however slight the knock-out may appear.  Concussions can be seen on brain image studies.  Concussions cause cumulative damage over the life of an athlete.  We know, for instance, that the great boxer, Mohammed Ali, suffered from Parkinson’s disease, brought on by repeated blows to his head.  The blows damaged the dopamine-producing cells in his brain.  It has long been thought that perhaps there was a connection between high rates of brain disease in NFL football players.  A preliminary study, sanctioned by the NFL itself, suggests that this may be the case.  Published in September 2009, the study is only a survey of a sampling of retired NFL players, but the evidence has provoked a call for greater research, not to mention more protection for players.  To further the research, some current NFL players who have suffered concussions have pledged their brains to neuroscience researchers after their deaths.