In the wake of Brett Favre's Parkinson's diagnosis, a neurologist discusses how concussions affect risk

Football star Brett Favre, 54, announced on Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

The NFL Hall of Fame member referenced the diagnosis at a congressional hearing on federal welfare reform, mentioning his investment in a company that makes a “groundbreaking concussion drug.”

Favre, who spent 16 of his 20 NFL seasons with the Green Bay Packers, has spoken openly about suffering “thousands” of concussions over the course of his football career.

NFL LEGEND BRETT FAVRE ANNOUNCES HE IS SUFFERING FROM PARKINSON

What is Parkinson's?

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects movement and causes tremors, stiffness, slow gait, balance problems, and other symptoms.

Non-motor symptoms may include depression, anxiety, hallucinations, apathy, sleep problems, loss of smell, digestive problems and orthostatic hypotension (a sudden drop in blood pressure when standing up), according to the Parkinson's Foundation.

In the United States, nearly one million people are affected by the disease, and 1.2 million people are expected to be diagnosed by 2030.

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There is no generally known cause of Parkinson's disease, but there are factors that may increase the risk. In most cases of the disease, the cause is unknown.

According to Healthline, a person who is diagnosed with the disease for no apparent reason suffers from what is called idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre No. 4 watches from the sidelines during a game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Municipal Stadium on November 19, 1995 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Getty Images)

The risk increases with age, but about 4% of patients are diagnosed before age 50.

Men are at higher risk and are diagnosed 1.5 times more often than women, according to the foundation.

Although there is no cure for Parkinson's disease, patients can sometimes manage their symptoms with medications, surgery and lifestyle changes.

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The main medication used to relieve Parkinson's symptoms is levodopa, which helps replenish dopamine levels in the brain, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Some people are also prescribed dopamine agonists, enzyme inhibitors, amantadine and anticholinergics, the source said.

In athletes who have suffered concussions or other head injuries, the symptoms or course of the disease may be worse, a neurologist confirmed. (iStock)

A healthy diet, exercise, massage therapy, and physical, occupational and speech therapy can also help with the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Although Parkinson's is not directly fatal, complications of the disease are considered the 14th leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The connection with concussions

Dr. Joey Gee, a neurologist at Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, California, said it is well known that many neurological diseases – especially neurodegenerative diseases – can worsen or develop over time as a result of numerous head traumas and injuries.

“This can include anything from Alzheimer's disease to Lou Gehrig's disease, but the focus is on the development of Parkinson's disease,” Gee told Fox News Digital.

“We know that sustained trauma to the brain can cause inflammatory changes and vascular disorders.”

“We know that sustained trauma to the brain can cause inflammatory changes and vascular disorders.”

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Parkinson's disease may be linked to a disruption of an inflammatory protein called alpha-synuclein, he said.

In Parkinson's patients, this protein forms clumps in the spinal fluid, so-called Lewy bodies, which are considered markers of the disease.

Many neurological disorders can worsen or develop over time as a result of numerous head traumas and injuries, a neurologist said. (Getty Images)

“And then you may notice early signs or symptoms of Parkinson’s disease,” the neurologist noted.

In athletes who have suffered concussions or other head injuries, the symptoms or course of the disease may be worse, Gee confirmed.

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“A number of scientific reports show that patients who have developed Parkinson's-like features due to trauma may develop the disease earlier and have more severe symptoms than Parkinson's patients without head injury,” he told Fox News Digital.

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“So there is significant potential for earlier development of symptoms and inflammation in the brain.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Favre's representative for comment.

Fox News' Ryan Morik and Ashlyn Messier contributed reporting.