Incidentally, just before Jack Charlton died, my dad asked me to look up how many of the famous 1966 team were still alive (possibly influenced by the recent 1966 World Cup Final TV re-run).
In the research was a report where it mentioned Jack had dementia (though possibly due to the 'heading a heavy ball' link this wasn't mentioned on the Sky Football News reports at all).
Rather surprisingly I found out Nobby Stiles is still alive. I say that as it was more than 3 years ago when his son basically said he was on his last legs (in the final stages). God only knows what condition he's in now.
“There’s been a suspected link between football and Alzheimer’s for years. It’s my dad’s era who are really suffering now."
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
On the face of it there seems an obvious link between heading a heavy football and the onset of later life dementia/Alzheimer's, though of course it would be a gross understatement to say that the vast majority of people that get the disease have never headed a football in their lives.
The only thing they all seem to have in common is repeated exposure to toxic chemicals from traffic fumes/pollution.
The electric car can't come soon enough.
(Edited to add link)