Purdue Sports Medicine expert: Link between concussions and Parkinson’s unclear but identification, treatment of sports concussions much improved

Craig Voll

The possible link between concussions and Parkinson’s disease was thrust into the spotlight when NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre announced his diagnosis during his recent testimony to a congressional committee about a welfare misspending scandal in Mississippi.

Favre, 54, played 20 seasons for the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons. He made 321 consecutive starts from 1992-2010 — 297 regular season and 24 playoff games. Favre has said he may have suffered about 1,000 concussions during his playing days.

Craig Voll — Purdue University Department of Health and Kinesiology clinical assistant professor, Sports Medicine Concentration coordinator and former athletic trainer for the Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens NFL organization — said there is ongoing debate in the medical community about the connection between concussions and neurocognitive disorders like Parkinson’s disease.

“While some studies suggest a link — such as the 2020 study indicating a 57% increased risk of Parkinson’s after a single concussion — other experts remain skeptical about a direct cause-and-effect relationship,” he explained. “This was highlighted at the most recent International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport in 2022, where opinions varied widely.”

While scientists and experts research such connections, Voll said how concussions are managed today compared to Favre’s prime playing days of the 1990s should be acknowledged. He stated that in the past, concussions were often downplayed as “getting your bell rung” or “seeing stars.”

“Now, we understand that they are mild traumatic brain injuries, and the culture around reporting and managing concussions has drastically improved,” Voll said. “Concussions are challenging because the injury isn’t visible. Unlike a broken ankle, where you can see a cast or crutches, concussions show no outward signs, which often led to the perception that athletes were being ‘soft’ or exaggerating their symptoms. This created a warrior mentality, where players felt pressured to tough it out and not report their symptoms.”

Voll said tools like the SCAT6 (Sports Concussion Assessment Tool), vestibular/ocular-motor screening and symptom checklists allow frontline healthcare professionals like athletic trainers to accurately diagnose concussions in real-time. These methods have been shown to catch 98% of concussions, according to Voll. Additionally, athletes diagnosed with concussions now undergo a structured, seven-step return-to-play protocol to ensure they fully recover before returning to the field.

“This is a vast improvement from the past when players were often allowed to return to play the same day,” Voll said. “While the link between concussions and neurocognitive disorders like Parkinson’s is still being explored, what’s undeniable is that advancements in our understanding and management of concussions are helping to protect athletes far more effectively than ever before.”