The Marilyn & Morgan Davies Dean of Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences at TCU and Parkinson鈥檚 researcher and expert Chris Watts shed some light surrounding Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre鈥檚 recent announcement of his Parkinson鈥檚 diagnosis.
Repeated brain injuries, including mild ones, are linked to a higher risk of neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson鈥檚 disease, though the exact connection is still unknown.
Watts explains head trauma alone is not the sole risk factor for Parkinson鈥檚. In his conversation with USA Today, Watts offers insights into the possible link. Experts say the disease has also been linked to environmental factors, like exposure to certain pesticides or chemicals, and genetic mutations.
However, the research among football players isn't as robust. Watts says researchers must determine if there is a link.
鈥淔ootball is such a big part of American society,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e need to know the answers to this.鈥�
Watts鈥� recent work focused on non-contact boxing, placing data behind the idea that an . He has conducted extensive research on Parkinson鈥檚 disease with more than 80 peer-reviewed research publications in this and related areas and has presented his research to both national and international audiences.