Study warns of possible dementia risk to footballers itv.com

Footballers who repeatedly head the ball could be increasing their chances of developing dementia, according to the findings of a new study.

Researchers behind the study examined the brains of six retired footballers during post-mortem examinations.

The footballers, who have not been identified, had developed dementia.

Of the six former players, four were found to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – a degenerative disease – while all six had signs of Alzheimer's disease.

CTE can cause dementia and like Alzheimer's, is characterised by a build-up of a certain type of protein in the brain.