Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre revealed yesterday he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The disclosure from the 54-year-old, who primarily played with the Green Bay Packers during his 20-season NFL career, came during congressional testimony on the misuse of welfare funds.
Parkinson's is the world's second most common neurodegenerative disease, affecting roughly 10 million people globally. It stems from the premature decay of dopamine-producing neurons in the midbrain (watch overview). The average age for a Parkinson's diagnosis is 60 years old, making Favre's diagnosis slightly earlier than usual. Treatments typically involve mimicking dopamine in the relevant neural region, though the efficacy of such treatments declines over time.
Favre was testifying over his involvement in a Mississippi welfare fund misuse scandal. He was found to have received $1.1M in speaking fees (for speeches he never gave) from welfare funds and was linked to the use of $5M in welfare funds to pay for a volleyball facility at his alma mater. Favre hasn't been criminally charged and has repaid the speaking fees.
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