The new and improved concussion thread

[Llama19]

 

[LadyStanley]

http://theprovince.com/sports/hocke...rtners-with-concussion-tracking-app-headcheck

BCHL partners with Headcheck app, a concussion tracking app



Hopefully improvement happen, and treatment advances happens.

 

[Llama19]

Study shows ‘disastrous’ damage in brains of retired CFL players

To quote:

"On average, about 65 per cent of the cerebral cortex showed significant thinning in the CFL players. That’s a staggering amount of damage that has accumulated in the players over time.

By comparison, [Dr Luciano] Minuzzi said when he analyzes patients suffering some types of brain disorders, there might be five per cent of the cortex which shows significant thinning.

Minuzzi said the cortical thinning experienced by the players are “very, very strong results that we were not expecting.â€

“It’s almost like seeing the brains of much older people,†said Minuzzi. “They are not matching in terms of age.

“I was shocked,†he added. “There’s something really serious happening.â€"

Source: https://www.thestar.com/sports/foot...-damage-in-brains-of-retired-cfl-players.html

 

[LadyStanley]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/warning-line-hockey-players-vulnerable-injuries-1.4267221?cmp=rss

Study: warning line actually causes players to keep their heads down (approaching boards) rather than getting it up (in preparation to hit boards) and causes more injuries.

 

[Llama19]

Despite concerns on the ice, NHL players still reluctant to donate brains for concussion studies

To quote:

"Dr. Ann McKee, a concussion specialist, wants the hockey community to step up its game when it comes to posthumous brain donation.

McKee, the chief of neuropathology at VA Boston and director of Boston University's CTE Center, has been at the forefront of football concussion research for years -- but she has yet to see the hockey community donate brains posthumously at the same rate as football.

"We're not nearly as far in hockey [research] as we are in football because we just don't have the same numbers," McKee said in a phone interview with ESPN.com.

Released in late July, McKee's study showed 177 of 202 deceased football players' brains had chronic traumatic encephalopathy -- commonly referred to as CTE. This included 110 of 111 brains of NFL players.

According to a Boston University CTE Center research assistant, neuropathology has been completed on just 16 hockey players' brains, nine of which were found to have CTE. All six of the NHL players' brains in the study had CTE. In total, 19 brains from hockey players have been donated to the center."

Source: http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/20498726/nhl-players-reluctant-donate-brains-concussion-studies

 

[Killion]

According to a Boston University CTE Center research assistant, neuropathology has been completed on just 16 hockey players' brains, nine of which were found to have CTE. All six of the NHL players' brains in the study had CTE. In total, 19 brains from hockey players have been donated to the center."

So basically a little more than half of the sampling size to date along with other "samplings" not done by BU's CTE Research Ctr.... along with the long long long list & ever growing numbers of former players prematurely deteriorating states... then just how much evidence does one heed?.... Millions of players having played the game for years, a couple of players died, lost an eye, helmets & face-guards mandated as "even one person dying or losing an eye is too many".... OK...... so how many players have to die (those living suffering, paying dearly) of CTE? How many case studies do you need to finally conclude that youve got a serious problem that needs to be addressed? And ya, its going to cost. Plenty.

 

[Michel Dion]

So basically a little more than half of the sampling size to date along with other "samplings" not done by BU's CTE Research Ctr.... along with the long long long list & ever growing numbers of former players prematurely deteriorating states... then just how much evidence does one heed?.... Millions of players having played the game for years, a couple of players died, lost an eye, helmets & face-guards mandated as "even one person dying or losing an eye is too many".... OK...... so how many players have to die (those living suffering, paying dearly) of CTE? How many case studies do you need to finally conclude that youve got a serious problem that needs to be addressed? And ya, its going to cost. Plenty.

Requiring pros to wear full helmet protection, like college and youth players will help reduce the concussion rate. Also helping will be technology which will help scan the brains of active players to determine where they stand.

For both the NFL and NHL, I think they'll be able to reduce the head trauma without affecting the popularity of their sports. Obviously, concussions will always exist, and players aren't being forced into the pro ranks. And in the NFL there are players who purposely score low on baseline cognitive tests in the offseason, so they can return to the field faster when they get dinged in the regular season. Don't know if this happens in the NHL, but either way, it has to stop.

 

[LadyStanley]

Full helmet protection sounds good, but I recall reading that players are more aggressive when wearing full facial protection than not.

So it may not have the desired impact vis a vis concussions.

 

[sandysan]

So basically a little more than half of the sampling size to date along with other "samplings" not done by BU's CTE Research Ctr.... along with the long long long list & ever growing numbers of former players prematurely deteriorating states... then just how much evidence does one heed?.... Millions of players having played the game for years, a couple of players died, lost an eye, helmets & face-guards mandated as "even one person dying or losing an eye is too many".... OK...... so how many players have to die (those living suffering, paying dearly) of CTE? How many case studies do you need to finally conclude that youve got a serious problem that needs to be addressed? And ya, its going to cost. Plenty.

that's no a sample size that one can have a great amount of trust in. this is close to wakefieldian.

and color me surprised that a researcher whose grants are dependent on increasing the perceived threat of CTE is lamenting that they can't get access to more brains. The same researcher ( I beleive) who stained brain sections pro actively knowing which came from hockey players.

And no one dies from CTE, people die with CTE . I know that people will label me an appologist but as of right now, a CTE diagnosis STILL can only be made post mortem. Some of the hockey players who tested positive for CTE were not perceived to have have cognitive problems at the time of their deaths and there are lots of players who played long ago ( some in the era of no helmets) who you would expect to display symptoms who apparently seem fine ( aside from age related problems that are systemic). does this lessen the impact for those who DID seemingly have cognitive/behavioral issues and were later determined to have CTE ? No. but a bunch of jenny mccarthy's we should not be. the process should be understand something first then make policy, not the other way around which means more research is needed.

Increases in imaging technologies will help, provided they work. A better understanding of the consequences of CTE on the living will be an important step forward. Understanding whether there are genetic predispositions will help a great deal to identify and pre-select those at increased risk, but all of this is years away if it ever comes to pass. Playing chicken little now sends us down a very dark road.

As for the cost, who knows ? talcum powder was largely considered safe and inert until very recently.

 

[Llama19]

Subpoenaed!

Subpoenas issued for Bettman, Daly and Lamoriello in Peluso lawsuit

To quote:

"Three high-ranking National Hockey League executives, including commissioner Gary Bettman, have been subpoenaed to testify in former NHL player Mike Peluso’s upcoming workers’ compensation trial, according to documents obtained by TSN.

[Peluso’s attorney, Shawn] Stuckey said he plans to ask Bettman and Daly about how teams communicate information to players about their injuries. Stuckey also said he wants to obtain details about the NHL’s drug policies, including record-keeping practices for the distribution of prescription painkillers by NHL team doctors and trainers.

Stuckey said he plans to ask Lamoriello whether he reviewed key medical reports related to seizures Peluso suffered following a fight in 1993 that resulted in a concussion."

Source: http://www.tsn.ca/subpoenas-issued-for-bettman-daly-and-lamoriello-in-peluso-lawsuit-1.851322

 

[Llama19]

Brain-damaged boxer will receive $22 million in settlement with State of New York

To quote:

"The state of New York has agreed to pay $22 million to a boxer who sustained severe brain damage during a heavyweight bout at Madison Square Garden nearly four years ago, in a case that raised serious questions about the postfight care given to athletes who have just exchanged repeated blows to the head.

[Magomed] Abdusalamov was an up-and-coming Russian heavyweight when he entered the ring against Mike Perez at Madison Square Garden in November 2013. But in the first round, he took an errant forearm to the cheek, after which he told his handlers that he thought it might be broken.

Subsequent investigations by the New York Office of the Inspector General and several news media outlets, including The New York Times, raised critical questions about the medical care that Abdusalamov received after the fight — even as he exhibited signs of head trauma — as well as about the protocols of the New York State Athletic Commission.

For example, Abdusalamov and his team of handlers were not given proper interpretive services that might have led to faster medical care for the boxer. They were not made aware of two ambulances parked just outside the Garden, and when they asked about getting to a hospital, a boxing inspector directed them to the corner of Eighth Avenue and 33rd street, where they could find a taxi."

Source: http://nationalpost.com/sports/brai...-million-in-settlement-with-state-of-new-york

 

[Llama19]

Brain of former NHL player to be donated for CTE research, family says

To quote:

"The family of former NHL player Jeff Parker, who died Monday and was among a group of former players suing the league over its approach to head injuries and brain trauma, plans to donate his brain to researchers at Boston University.

Parker was one of a small group of former players who became the public face of the NHL concussion lawsuit in the U.S. In interviews with various media outlets in Minnesota, where the NHL litigation is being decided, Parker spoke about suffering repeated concussions while playing in the NHL and said he was still suffering from those brain injuries.

Parker told White Bear Press that his ears ringed constantly, that he suffered headaches every day, and that he needed to spend his days in the dark because of his sensitivity to light. The paper also reported he collected a $366 monthly check from the NHL for his five years in the league."

Source: http://www.tsn.ca/brain-of-former-nhl-player-to-be-donated-for-cte-research-family-says-1.855458

 

[Killion]

Brain of former NHL player to be donated for CTE research, family says...

Geez, didnt know about this guys death. In his early 50's. Played about 141 NHL games, mostly as a checking fwd.
of Minnesota & Michigan State.... Pretty sad, gone & relatively young. Quality of life obviously dramatically affected.

 

[Llama19]

USC-Texas revisited: LenDale White and what happened after fourth-and-two

To quote:

"[LenDale] White estimates he sustained 20 to 30 concussions, about one every other game. But he can’t be sure. Only one was diagnosed, he says.

“You lose consciousness and then all of a sudden it’s like shoooo-ooooof,†White says, making a slurping noise, his eyes growing wide as he described the sensation. “Like, that’s how it sounds, like shhhhhhloooof, and then all of a sudden you hear the play again.†He’d wander around in a haze, Young directing him to the right spot until he regained his senses.

His head throbbed. His body ached. When his career began to slide, he slipped into a funk. Pain pills, he found, dulled the misery.

“And I don't mean like popping a pain pill because I'm hurt,†White says. “I mean popping scripts. Like 10 Vicodins at a time type [stuff]. You know what I mean? To feel it, like I'm high. To feel the numbness.â€"

Source: http://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/la-sp-usc-texas-lendale-white-20170913-story.html

 

[Michel Dion]

USC-Texas revisited: LenDale White and what happened after fourth-and-two

To quote:

"[LenDale] White estimates he sustained 20 to 30 concussions, about one every other game. But he can’t be sure. Only one was diagnosed, he says.

“You lose consciousness and then all of a sudden it’s like shoooo-ooooof,†White says, making a slurping noise, his eyes growing wide as he described the sensation. “Like, that’s how it sounds, like shhhhhhloooof, and then all of a sudden you hear the play again.†He’d wander around in a haze, Young directing him to the right spot until he regained his senses.

His head throbbed. His body ached. When his career began to slide, he slipped into a funk. Pain pills, he found, dulled the misery.

“And I don't mean like popping a pain pill because I'm hurt,†White says. “I mean popping scripts. Like 10 Vicodins at a time type [stuff]. You know what I mean? To feel it, like I'm high. To feel the numbness.â€"

Source: http://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/la-sp-usc-texas-lendale-white-20170913-story.html

Did the LA Times reporter ever bother to ask LenDale White a very important question? Did White accurately and honestly complete the offseason baseline neurological tests teams were using during his playing career? Some players falsified these tests, reacting slower than normal, so they could return to the field faster during the regular season. If White is guilty, I can't feel sorry about the problems he had later in his career or after football.

 

[dechire]

Did the LA Times reporter ever bother to ask LenDale White a very important question? Did White accurately and honestly complete the offseason baseline neurological tests teams were using during his playing career? Some players falsified these tests, reacting slower than normal, so they could return to the field faster during the regular season. If White is guilty, I can't feel sorry about the problems he had later in his career or after football.

He stopped playing in 2010 but the NFL did not have a concussion protocol until 2009. So your real question should be: "Did he ever take baseline tests to begin with ?"

 

[Llama19]

 

[cbcwpg]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/bauer-claims-new-collar-prevents-brain-damage-1.4298912

Of note: Researchers who developed the NeuroShield say it's not known yet whether the product can also prevent concussions in players who suffer head trauma.

 

[Fenway]

Aaron Hernandez’s Family Sues NFL, Patriots Over ‘Severe Case’ Of CTE

BOSTON (CBS) – Aaron Hernandez’s family has filed a federal lawsuit against the NFL and the New England Patriots after tests on the former player brain revealed a “severe case†of brain trauma.

Attorney Jose Baez announced Thursday afternoon that tests performed on Aaron Hernandez’s brain following his suicide determined he suffered from an advanced case of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

Baez said Boston University researchers said it was “the most severe case they had ever seen for someone of Aaron’s age.â€

Hernandez suffered from stage three CTE, a level usually seen in brain trauma patients who are 67 years old. There are four stages of CTE.

 

[Killion]

^^^ Man... just gets worse & worse by the day, week, month & year. Beyond sad, tragic. I just dont see how it can be
avoided. Even with radical changes made to football & hockey its just going to happen. What then becomes of these sports?...

 

[cbcwpg]

^---

IMO as long as the leagues are upfront about the risks to playing and what the players have to accept as the risk to participating, you are always going to get people willing to make that big pay cheque no matter the risks. You might get some people dropping out of the sport because they don't want the risk, but someone will still be willing to take their spot.

An interesting question does come about in regards to the morality of buying tickets to watch these events when, you as the fan, know full well the players are putting themselves at harm by playing. Then again we have had spectators since the days of the gladiators fighting lions.

 

[pbgoalie]

As a baseline, what percentage of the none impact sports playing public have signs
Of CTE? If any?

 

[dechire]

As a baseline, what percentage of the none impact sports playing public have signs
Of CTE? If any?

Aside from sports it's found in veterans(concussive forces from explosions, combat) and domestic violence survivors. There may be some non-sports professions where it occurs but I can't think of any. CTE develops because of repeated head trauma. It's not really something that the average person would even have the potential to develop.

 

[LadyStanley]

Unless he had a baseline mental test at the start of his NFL career, it'll be really hard to determine WHEN he received the head hits (cumulatively effective) that contributed to his CTE diagnosis (and any actions while he was living that resulted from head injury).

Family is just suing, IMHO, as the NFL has the biggest pockets.

 

[LadyStanley]

https://sports.yahoo.com/aaron-hernandez-cte-devastating-news-nfl-213810596.html
That Aaron Hernandez had CTE is devastating news for the NFL

Hernandez played 3 seasons, 44 games in NFL.

There were 40 additional games at the college level, at the University of Florida. And then there is whatever he played at Bristol (Conn.) Central High School, where sources said that despite Hernandez being by far the biggest, strongest player in the state, they believed he suffered multiple concussions.

Article details behavioral/legal issues starting at age 17.

No suits yet against college, high school, Pop Warner, etc., football activities. Yet.