Summary: A Mayo Clinic community-based study found no increased long-term risk of neurodegenerative diseases for men who played varsity high school football between 1956 and 1970, when compared with athletes who participated in other varsity sports.
Source: Mayo Clinic.
Mayo Clinic Study Finds No Greater Risk of Late-Life Neurodegenerative Disease in High School Football Players (1956–1970)
A Mayo Clinic research team examined the long-term health outcomes of male students who played varsity high school football in Rochester, Minnesota, between 1956 and 1970 and compared them with male varsity athletes who did not play football (swimmers, basketball players, and wrestlers). Using the Rochester Epidemiology Project medical records–linkage system, investigators followed each student’s medical record for roughly four decades after their high school athletic participation to determine whether playing football at the varsity level was associated with an elevated risk of neurodegenerative conditions later in life.
The study identified 296 former varsity football players and 190 non‑football varsity athletes. Medical records were reviewed to document diagnoses of dementia, parkinsonism, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and medically recorded head trauma occurring during the high school years.
Among the 296 football players, medical records documented the following outcomes:
- 34 instances of head trauma recorded during the high school period
- 5 cases of mild cognitive impairment
- 3 instances of parkinsonism
- 2 cases of dementia
- 0 cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Among the 190 non‑football varsity athletes, medical records showed:
- 14 instances of head trauma during high school
- 4 cases of mild cognitive impairment
- 3 instances of parkinsonism
- 1 case of dementia
- 0 cases of ALS
Although football players in this cohort had a higher rate of medically documented head trauma—particularly those who played more than one season—researchers did not observe an increased risk of neurodegenerative disease overall or of the individual conditions studied (dementia, parkinsonism, and ALS) when comparing football players with athletes from other varsity sports.
The authors note that the era studied—1956 to 1970—reflects a period when concussions and head injuries were often minimized and described casually as “getting your bell rung.” Protective equipment has improved since that time, but helmets do not prevent all concussions and can create a false sense of security. The researchers emphasize this study does not imply that football‑related head trauma is harmless.
High school sports provide widespread benefits for cardiovascular fitness and overall health, and some research suggests athletic participation may even protect against certain forms of later-life brain illness. Nevertheless, the investigators caution that their findings apply to this specific community cohort and era. Differences in player size, strength, training, rules, and equipment between past eras and today may produce different outcomes for more recent cohorts of players. The literature describing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in college and professional athletes documents serious, sometimes devastating outcomes, and that body of evidence remains a concern.
The research team plans to extend this work by examining players from more recent eras and by studying athletes who advanced to the collegiate and professional ranks, where exposure to repetitive head impacts is often greater.
Source: Mayo Clinic. The study was conducted using the Rochester Epidemiology Project medical records system and focused on varsity high school athletes from Rochester, Minnesota.
Study Abstract (Summary)
Title: High School Football and Late‑Life Risk of Neurodegenerative Syndromes, 1956–1970
Objective:
To determine whether male athletes who played varsity high school football between 1956 and 1970 had an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases—dementia, parkinsonism, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis—later in life compared with male varsity athletes who did not play football.
Patients and Methods:
Researchers identified all male varsity football players from public high schools in Rochester, Minnesota, for the years 1956–1970 and compared them with non‑football varsity swimmers, wrestlers, and basketball players. Using long‑term medical record linkage, they assessed incidence of neurodegenerative diagnoses and documented head trauma during the high school years.
Results:
The investigation included 296 varsity football players and 190 non‑football athletes. Football players showed a higher rate of medically documented head trauma, especially if they played more than one season, but they did not have an increased risk of neurodegenerative disease overall or of the specific outcomes of dementia, parkinsonism, or ALS compared with non‑football athletes.
Conclusion:
In this community-based cohort from 1956 to 1970, varsity high school football players did not demonstrate a higher rate of late‑life neurodegenerative disease than peers who played other varsity sports. The researchers note the period studied had a different culture around concussion awareness, less protective equipment, and permissive tackling techniques; they also caution that athletes today may differ in size, strength, and exposure to head impacts, so further study of modern cohorts is warranted.
Authors: Pieter H.H. Janssen, Jay Mandrekar, Michelle M. Mielke, J. Eric Ahlskog, Bradley F. Boeve, Keith Josephs, and Rodolfo Savica.