There are some interesting theories about the impact of heading modern vs 50s/60s balls on the potential damage to the brain.
Apparently there is not too much difference between "dry weight" of the 2 generations of the standard ball (when fully inflated).
Two technical/physiological variables do appear to have an impact however. Waterproof coatings to some degree reduce the potential increase in weight on wet/rain-driven pitches, but this is not enough to combat the additional force the ball travels with as a result of not being so heavy (no water absorbed) or the increased fitness/strength of the players who can impart more force (speed of travel) of the ball after connection impact(force due to mass X acceleration formula).
Players are heading the ball more often than in the old days of sodden uncoated leather balls, but they are travelling at greater speeds.
The jury is still out, but my view is that the danger of brain damage is likely to have increased over the decades. Not happy personally as I played as a centre half/centre back who went up for corners and free kicks for 50 years. Explains a lot !
yes, that makes a lot of sense. there may be heriditary dispositions involved. i heard a claim that there isn't, but my mother was one of eight that survived childhood and one of two that didn't get dementia. six of eight that did more than hints at such a connection (though i'm aware that such cases may be isolated). so far only one of the twenty plus in the next generation got it, but, of course, the risk is potentially watered down with each generation.