Monday, September 10, 2012

In the News--Athletes and Brain injury


In the News—CTE  (Chronic traumatic encephalopathy) 
Fans who love sports (especially football) hear a lot these days about CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) these days.  CTE involves the damage done to the brains of athletes and other people when they suffer concussions.  As an athlete’s (or anyone) head gets bounced around like a bobblehead doll, imagine the brain moving inside the skull and bouncing off one side then the other (maybe multiple times).  The brain tissue is bruised as it hits the hard bone of the skull.
Scientists at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University Medical School  are studying this phenomenon.  They are studying the donated brains of former athletes who donated their brains to science in hopes of helping future athletes. 
My sport fan husband says this is a huge deal.  More information on this topic can be found at Boston University website at http://www.bu.edu/cste/about/what-is-cte/  Another website that covers this topic is http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8218700/neuropathologist-dr-ann-mckee-accused-killing-football-be-sport-only-hope

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