Published on: 06/08/18
Scottish scientists have discovered for the first time exactly how a single sporting or car accident brain injury can develop years later into life-changing dementia.
The University of Glasgow team of neuroscientists was headed by Dr Willie Stewart, who has campaigned for greater safety in rugby and football, and last year scanned the brain of former Premier League ace turned football pundit Alan Shearer.
In the study they have shown how just a single traumatic brain injury can generate a defective form of a common neural protein that can go on to spread right through the brain.
The result is memory deficits, damage to brain neurons and possibly eventual full-blown dementia.
For tips and advice on improving memory after a brain injury, click here.
Dr Stewart said the the "landmark" finding could lead to new treatments.
He added: "We've recognised for many decades that brain injury is one of the strongest environmental risk factors for dementia.
"More recently we are recognising sportsmen and women may be at increased risk of dementia."
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