Some individuals have discovered a connection between concussions in a person's youth or young adulthood and Alzheimer's in that victim's future when that person ages. Alzheimer's is a sobering disease that often affects an elderly individual's memory so that he or she starts to suffer from short term memory loss. As the disease progresses, victims can also lose their long-term memory until they no longer recognize those that are closest to them. Alzheimer's patients typically need to be put in homes or cared for full-time by a relative as they are unable to sustain their own life without aid.

Now, a study produced by the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota claims that many Alzheimer's patients suffered brain trauma earlier in their lifetime. Scans of patients with memory problems and a history of a brain injury were five times more likely to show a buildup of a brain protein that has been associated with Alzheimer's disease. The Mayo Clinic researchers concluded that the individuals that had had a concussion or another traumatic brain injury have a higher likelihood to suffer intense injuries later on in their lives.

This is fuel to the fire for many plaintiffs that have been claiming that traumatic brain injuries suffered in sports have affected their post-athletic lifestyles. Already, the NFL was faced with a serious lawsuit after thousands of former players discovered that they were suffering cognitive disabilities after suffering concussions that were not properly treated when they were playing professional football. Similarly, the NHL has been targeted by former players for brain injuries that have left lasting damage.