ALZHEIMER Scotland praised the Glasgow research team for providing the first “conclusive evidence” of a link between professional football and dementia.

Henry Simmons, Chief Executive Alzheimer Scotland, said: “Alzheimer Scotland welcome these research findings and congratulate the team led by Dr Willie Stewart and the research funders for providing what can only be described as conclusive evidence that there is a definitive link between playing professional football and a higher incidence of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.

“This was an exceptionally robust study and given the scale of the findings there must now be no time lost in moving forward further research to properly define what the main risk factors are and indeed determining what must be done to minimise them.

“Alzheimer Scotland’s first priority however must be to those individuals who are currently living with dementia and their families some of whom may find this news today deeply distressing and indeed other members of the public who might be concerned by it. Our 24 hour Dementia Helpline, local Dementia Advisors and Dementia Resource Centres across Scotland are available to help support anyone affected by this and we would encourage people to get in touch.

“Alzheimer Scotland will continue to do all that we can to support this vital area of dementia research and prevention.”

Glasgow Times:

The Evening Times and our sister title The Herald are backing a campaign by Alzheimer Scotland which aims to ensure people with advanced dementia have access to free health care.

The charity says families are facing a major inequality because dementia is not treated in the same way as other terminal illnesses, where patients have access to free NHS.

To support the campaign go to www.alzscot.org/fair-dementia-care-sign-up-form

For information, support and advice about dementia call Alzheimer Scotland’s 24-Hour Helpline on 0808 808 3000