Athletes Facing Dementia: A Spotlight on Five Prominent Figures
In the world of sports, the names Betty Robinson, Tom Fears, Bill Quackenbush, Joe Adcock, and Sugar Ray Robinson are etched in history. These athletes, renowned for their prowess in track, football, hockey, baseball, and boxing respectively, have left indelible marks in their respective fields. However, in their later years, some of them faced a different challenge: dementia.
Betty Robinson, the first woman to win a gold medal at the Olympics, triumphed in the 100-meter race in the Amsterdam Olympics of 1928 and again secured a gold at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Sugar Ray Robinson, considered one of the best boxers of all time, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at the age of 65. Sadly, Robinson passed away two years after the diagnosis, with diabetes recognized as the cause of death, not dementia alone.
Tom Fears, a Mexican-American football player who played nine seasons for the Los Angeles Rams in the National Football League (NFL), and Joe Adcock, a major league baseball player known for his right-handed power hitting, also faced the challenge of dementia. Bill Quackenbush, a Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman who played for major teams like the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings, also battled the disease.
The cause of dementia in these high-profile athletes remains unknown. However, research suggests that repetitive head impacts and traumatic brain injuries common in many sports, especially contact sports, could be a significant contributor. Studies indicate that such trauma can cause damage to brain cells, leading to abnormal protein accumulation, such as tau tangles and amyloid plaques, hallmark features of Alzheimer's disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
These athletes, despite maintaining active lifestyles, may have experienced the brain effects of concussions or repetitive subclinical impacts accumulating over time, leading to long-term neurological consequences distinct from other health benefits of fitness. Factors like genetics, aging, and other health conditions can also influence dementia risk, so being physically fit does not provide absolute protection.
Moreover, some neurological symptoms in retired athletes may stem from treatable issues like depression and anxiety, which can mimic or exacerbate cognitive problems.
In summary, the development of dementia in certain famous athletes can be linked to the cumulative brain trauma associated with their sports careers, which can override the protective effects of fitness and activity. This phenomenon is complex and multifactorial, involving both injury-related neurodegeneration and other individual risk factors.
Quackenbush had three children with his wife Joan Kalloch. He moved to Orlando and then to New Jersey in his later years before passing away due to complications from pneumonia and Alzheimer's disease at the age of 71. Adcock chose not to make his Alzheimer's diagnosis public and died at his Coushatta, Los Angeles residence at the age of 71. Robinson's wife, Millie, took care of him in his final years.
Researchers are working tirelessly to find the cause and cure for dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. As we continue to honour these legendary athletes for their contributions to sports, it is crucial to acknowledge and address the potential risks associated with their careers.
- The science of neurological disorders has linked dementia, a challenge faced by several high-profile athletes in their later years, to repetitive head impacts and traumatic brain injuries common in sports, particularly contact sports.
- Studies indicate that such trauma can cause damage to brain cells, leading to the accumulation of tau tangles and amyloid plaques, which are hallmark features of Alzheimer's disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
- Despite maintaining an active lifestyle, athletes may experience the brain effects of concussions or repetitive subclinical impacts accumulating over time, leading to long-term neurological consequences distinct from other health benefits of fitness.
- Other factors like genetics, aging, and other health conditions can also influence dementia risk, so being physically fit does not provide absolute protection.
- In some cases, neurological symptoms in retired athletes may stem from treatable issues like depression and anxiety, which can mimic or exacerbate cognitive problems.
- Researchers are working tirelessly to find the cause and cure for dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, and it is crucial to acknowledge and address the potential risks associated with certain sports careers.
