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Head trauma and long-term impacts

TCU's Chris Watts talks to USA Today about Brett Favre's Parkinson's diagnosis

Sep 30, 2024

2 min

Last week, NFL great Brett Favre revealed publicly that he has Parkinson's disease. It was an announcement that has also put the devastating affliction back in the media spotlight, and has experts and the public wondering if there's a link between high-impact sports like football and Parkinson's.

It's why researchers like Christopher Watts from TCU are getting contacted by national media looking for answers.

Head trauma alone is not the sole risk factor for Parkinson’s. Experts say the disease has also been linked to environmental factors, like exposure to certain pesticides or chemicals, and genetic mutations.

“If all the ingredients in the recipe come together, you may develop Parkinson’s disease,” said Christopher Watts, Texas Christian University's Dean of the Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences, who researches the disease. “The reason why we know is because not every boxer develops Parkinson's disease… it has to be other things that are acting along with that exposure to head trauma.”

The median age for a Parkinson’s diagnosis is about 65, Watts said. At 54, Favre is on the younger end of that spectrum.

Parkinsonism – an umbrella term for brain conditions that cause slow movement, rigidity and tremors – has been well studied in boxers, Watts said. One of history’s most legendary boxers, Muhammad Ali, was diagnosed with the disease.

However, the research among football players isn't as robust. A 2023 study published in JAMA found participants with a history of playing organized football had higher odds of Parkinsonism or Parkinson's disease compared with those involved in other organized sports. But other studies have reported mixed findings, Watts said.

He said researchers must determine if there is a link.

“Football is such a big part of American society,” he said. “We need to know the answers to this.”

September 25 - USA Today

With the NFL season in full swing - this will be a subject that will be receiving ongoing coverage throughout the season. And if you're a journalist looking to know - then let us help with your stories, questions and coverage.

Chris Watts is the Marilyn & Morgan Davies Dean of Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences at Texas Christian University and is an expert in the areas of neurological disorders.

Chris is available to speak with media about this important topic - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.

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Sep 25, 2026

2 min

Texas Senate Rematch Puts Tarrant County Back in the Political Spotlight

Less than a year after Democrats flipped a Texas Senate seat in Tarrant County, the two candidates are preparing for a November rematch — this time under very different electoral circumstances. Democratic State Sen. Taylor Rehmet defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss by 14 percentage points in a January special-election runoff for Senate District 9, a district Donald Trump carried by 17 points in the 2024 presidential election. Now Rehmet and Wambsganss will face each other again on Nov. 3, with the winner securing a full four-year term. In a recent Fort Worth Report article examining the race, Adam Schiffer, professor of political science at Texas Christian University, explains why the dynamics of a regular midterm election could be significantly different from those surrounding January's special election. Special elections typically attract lower turnout, and January's runoff featured only Rehmet and Wambsganss. This fall, Tarrant County voters will see more than 70 races on the ballot, creating a much different political environment. “Democrats are extremely energized and motivated to vote right now, and Republicans are a bit dispirited,” Schiffer told the Fort Worth Report. “So that’s the kind of thing that then can work to Rehmet’s advantage.” Professor Schiffer studies American politics, with an emphasis on the news media, elections, and public opinion. His recent work has covered the hot topics of media bias and presidential primary elections. View his profile Schiffer also points to competing forces that could influence the contest. A larger electorate and greater partisan attention could change the makeup of the voters who participate, while Democratic enthusiasm could continue to benefit Rehmet. The race provides a timely opportunity to examine broader questions about voter turnout, partisan loyalty, candidate positioning and whether the political conditions that produce a special-election upset can carry over into a midterm election. Schiffer can provide expert perspective on the Senate District 9 rematch, Tarrant County's changing political landscape, voter behavior and the role that turnout and partisan enthusiasm can play in closely watched elections. To arrange an interview today, simply click on his profile below.

Sep 3, 2026

2 min

Patent No. 50: How an Inventor's Mindset Is Shaping TCU Research

As TCU's vice provost for research, Reuben F. Burch V has spent his career turning research into real-world solutions. This summer, that track record reached a milestone: his 50th patent, earning him the designation "Prolific Inventor." Burch's inventing career began during his years at FedEx Express, where he helped develop the rugged handheld device now used by couriers around the world. His first patent wasn't the handheld device itself, it was the design of a wearable version that freed couriers' hands, making the job safer and more efficient. Patent No. 50 grew out of a different question: how do you study movement where it actually happens, on tracks, on football fields, on rugged terrain, rather than only in a lab? The resulting technology uses a swarm of drones to capture performance data in real-world environments, giving TCU researchers a new way to study athletes of all kinds in their own arenas. "Fifty means just as much to me as my first one did," Burch said, "and it means a lot more that I got it while I'm here at TCU." "Reuben has an extraordinary ability to see around corners," said Jim Weinstein, director of TCU's Roach Institute of Athlete Engineering. "He recognizes problems others haven't yet identified and then creates the technology needed to solve them. This patent isn't just another invention, it's a research capability that will change how we study movement and human performance." That same builder's mindset is now fueling TCU's LEAD ON: Values in Action strategic plan to grow the university's research enterprise. In Burch's first year at TCU, competitive external research awards increased by 79.7 percent, with new partnerships established with Advanced Functional Fabrics of America, Deakin University, and the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge, alongside the launch of the Roach Institute for Athlete Engineering. "The researchers were already here," Burch said. "The momentum came from helping unlock their potential." Burch is available to speak with media on athlete engineering, a discipline he founded, and how its principles apply across sports, industrial (repetitive motion tasks), tactical (military and first responder) and at-risk populations. He can also speak to AI, human factors and ergonomics, advanced manufacturing, workforce and economic development, and the changing landscape of research funding and enterprise building in higher education. Read the full TCU story, "Patent No. 50: Reuben Burch Brings Inventor's Approach to TCU Research," here. To arrange an interview or request a comment, click through to Reuben Burch's profile below.

Aug 19, 2026

2 min

Who Decides Which Stories Children Get to Read?

As book bans surge nationwide, Jan Lacina — professor at Texas Christian University and Interim Director for Starpoint and KinderFrogs Schools — explores the benefits of diverse children's literature in her new textbook for educators, "Children's Literature to Read Our World: Text Selection and Strategies for Critical Reflection (Routledge, 2026). The research-grounded guide aims to help teachers intentionally select books for their students, centering age-appropriate books that present Black, Latinx and Asian culture as wellsprings of understanding. It also highlights titles that explore complex issues such as homelessness and poverty, and those that can help educators teach about historical topics like the Holocaust or the Civil Rights Movement. One chapter explores how scented books can be used as a vehicle for multisensory literacy development. Lacina's book arrives at a critical moment, in a critical state. Texas ranked second in the nation for school book bans during the 2024-25 school year, with 1,781 instances of censorship, according to PEN America's latest report. Jan was recently featured in The 74 article "Who Decides Which Stories Children Get to Read?" by Mark Swartz, which explores why access to diverse literature matters and how her new textbook helps educators respond to rising censorship. Read the full article here. We can look back through history and see that there's always been censorship, and I think books have historically been targeted over a long period of time for anti-intellectual censorship efforts. Books are primarily a source for people to learn new ideas and to critically think about a variety of topics within our society. "Books are powerful, and that's what scares people," Lacina said. Reading helps children identify with the protagonist — with their feelings, with their actions — and it's important to read about experiences that are similar to our own, whether they're positive experiences or challenges we might face in life, Lacina said. Lacina is available to speak with media on literacy leadership, children's literature, early childhood and elementary education, and teacher preparation — timely topics as school districts nationwide navigate rising challenges to classroom books. To arrange an interview or request a comment, click through to Jan Lacina's profile below.