Former NFL Player Duerson’s Brain Boosts Evidence Around CTE

Source: wsj

Boston University researchers concluded that another brain donated by a former NFL player shows all the characteristic signs of a progressive brain disorder known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE.

This time, the player was Dave Duerson, who committed suicide in February after leaving a note saying he wanted his brain to be studied. (To avoid damaging brain tissue, he shot himself in the chest rather than the head.)

In total, 13 of the 14 brains of former NFL players studied by the BU group have shown signs of CTE.

Read more: http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2011/05/02/former-nfl-player-duersons-brain-boosts-evidence-around-cte/

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I may have given up on football. The cost is too high.

I played football (badly). I boxed. I have had dozens of concussions as medically defined. Have I lost something? I don't know.

What I do know is I have a son who is four months old and he will never play football, even if he begs me.

over the last 25-30 years has had any effect.

The intensity of most sports has increased enormously.

1956 Olympics, competing gymnasts had spotters on the floor in competition to guard them through such complex moves as a backward walkover. (Well maybe not walkovers.)

Humans have gotten larger both naturally and by use of HGH and other steroids. The amount of punishment these guys are handing out has been surpassed by the body's ability to absorb these hits.

...sportsmen. Make that professional entertainers of all stripes.

I had two diagnosed concussions but I also had a broke foot, torn cartilage in both knees that led to 7 scopes, 4 on one knee & 3 on the other...And to end my soccer career while I was playing in the USAF I tore my ACL & MCL in my right knee.

No sport is safe...If I could have children I would try to get them into music, science or some other educational hobby.

He did martial arts, lifted weights for muscle tone, and ran. But no football.