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Do concussions cause Alzheimer’s disease later in life? A new study in the journal of Neurology found that there just may be a link between head traumas, like concussions, and Alzheimer’s disease. While the medical community has often suspected that concussions and other types of head trauma increase risk of developing this devastating disease, there has been conflicting evidence on the subject until recently.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, over 5 million Americans have the disease. But the social awareness of concussions and later neurological damage has only been intensified in recent years by highlighting the dangers for football players in the NFL.
The newly released study worked with nearly 600 elderly citizens to collect data through memory tests, brain scans and medical histories relating to head trauma. Results showed that 141 of the subjects had mild cognitive impairment although. However, equal portions of both those with and without cognitive impairment reported concussions that resulted in medical attention, memory loss or unconsciousness.
So why did some people who had concussions develop cognitive impairment and others did not? Brain scans did find that subjects with cognitive impairment had brains with higher levels of amyloid plaque than those who did not have cognitive impairment. In fact people with memory loss concussions were 20 percent more likely to have amyloid plaques and those with concussion histories had almost a five times higher risk of elevated plaque levels. The study suggests that head trauma is a risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s, but not every person with a head trauma will develop the disease.
Carlene Thomas RD,LD is a registered dietitian nutritionist who specializes in weight loss and wellness. She provides nutrition guidance to the public in a variety of ways including corporate wellness, private clients and contributes an expert nutrition voice to a variety of media.
