The NFL has released multiple statements assuring football lovers alike that football has nothing and will have nothing to do with the increasing large number of former athletes suffering from traumatic brain injuries. They have gone so far as to intimidate and defame the characters of the scientists working to solidify a link between certain sports and traumatic brain injury.
See article from the Union of Concerned Scientists: https://www.ucsusa.org/intimidating-scientists-documenting-link-between-pro-football-and-traumatic-brain-injury
While a serious athlete myself, I am not so easily fooled into thinking the thousands of headers that I have endured have had no effect on my long term brain health. Therefore, when presented with an opportunity to study the brains of former NFL players I jumped at the opportunity.
Background: The Invisible Brain Injury Project, is an ongoing project being done by a local Denver company- Cerescan. Cerescan known for being a brain imaging clinic specializing in SPECT (single proton emission computerized tomography) imaging is using their scanning tools to track the process of potential traumatic brain injury treatments. SPECT imaging, similar to fMRI measures functionality of the brain. fMRI follows the haemodynamic changes in a brain following an activity (Logthetis, 2008). Haemodynamic relates to how blood flows within a certain organ. SPECT also follows blood flow but more specifically cerebral profusion. Cerebral profusion is greatly affected after suffering a traumatic brain injury (Werner & Engelhard, 2007). Therefore, a treatment option targeting improving cerebral profusion was sought out. This lead to a partnership with a company producing near-infrared light therapy options. Near-infrared light has proven to not only stop induced apoptotic cell death in neurons but increases cellular ATP and reduces expression of reactive oxygen species/nitrogen species in neurons (Liang, Whelan, Eells, Wong-Riley, 2008). Therefore, it was identified as a perfect potential treatment option.
Brief Study overview: SPECT imaging was used on all participants (all of whom were former professional football players) to diagnose them with a traumatic brain injury to first be accepted into the treatment trial. Then all participants began treatment. Each participant came in 3 times a week for 6 weeks to receive the treatment of near infrared light therapy. Following completion, each participant received another SPECT imaging brain scan to determine whether or not the near-infrared light treatment was successful.
Overall outcome: All participants showed increased blood flow in areas that prior to treatment had decreased blood flow attributed to traumatic brain injury. All participants reported improved symptoms; i.e. better focus, better management of emotions, and less sensitivity to light and sound.
One participant regained their ability to read and was able to finish getting their college degree.
Knowing that every single professional football player which volunteered for the study ended up being diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury using SPECT imaging, should the NFL come clean and admit that professional football strongly correlates with traumatic brain injuries? If so, is the NFL truly responsible for the traumatic brain injuries many players receive? Knowing now that some treatment options are available should the NFL start using these treatment options while players are still in the league, or should players have to seek out their own treatment options after retiring from professional football?
The study is currently in the process of getting published, so check back for more updates!
References:
Logothetis, Nikos K. (2008) What we can do and what we cannot do with fMRI. Nature. 453, 869-878. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/nature06976.
Werner, C., Engelhard, K. (2007) Pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury. BJA: British Journal of Anaesthesia. 99 (1), 4-9. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1093/bja/aem131.
Liang, H.L., Whelan, H.T., Eells, J.T., Wong-Riley, M.T.T., (2008). Near -infrared light via light emittign diode treatment is therapeutic agent rotenone- and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion-induced neurotoxicity. Neuroscience. 153(4), 963-974. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.03.042.
Collisions are intrinsic to football. The rules and goal of the game basically require a constant battering. I think it is important to remember that nearly every player in the NFL has played football for their entire lives. Most competitive teams practice over four times a week. If you only had one collision each practice, it still would seem to have significant consequences to brain function. By the time an athlete has become a professional, their brain has already taken a beating. But to know that there is treatment is somewhat reassuring. This should absolutely be implemented in professional leagues. Although it sounds expensive, the NFL is one of the most profitable organizations in our nation. This should also be used for college athletes. Their practices and games are similar in physicality. There is no reason to believe that these players do not experience the same traumatic brain injuries. The NCAA doesn't allow players to profit off their ability or name (whole other debate), the least they could do it ensure the STUDENT athletes have brains that function.
ReplyDeleteChronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is constantly referred to when discussing football collisions. A study from 2018 of NFLers that have since passed away discovered 99% of the 111 players studied had this progressive neurodegenerative disease (Binney, 2017). CTE originates from repeated blows to the head and leads to problems with mood, behavior, and thinking. The problem is that it can only be diagnosed after death. So it is reassuring that SPECT can be used alongside the infrared therapy in order to combat this problem.
It is also interesting to think about how the public perceives sports. I only think about these issues with football. I am sure some athletes from contact sports without helmets are at risk as well.
Estimating the prevalence at death of CTE neuropathology among professional football players
Zachary O. Binney, Kathleen E. Bachynski
Neurology Jan 2019, 92 (1) 43-45; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000006699
I agree with CarterO618 that this type of treatment for TBI's should be implimented into leagues such as the NFL as well as college athletics. Yet, since CarterO618 made it clear in his statement that "CTE originates from repeated blows", I do not think football should be a full contact sport untill highschool in which these highschools should impliment this technology as well. It seems too much of a risk to even start out playing footbal with full contact at a young age; since our brains are still in a developmental state. Most players do not even make it to the NFL, in which they are forced to choose a different avenue which may be detrimental since they may be suffering from a TBI without even knowing it.
ReplyDeleteI do think that the NFL should comment on the correlation between TBI's and playing professional football, yet I do not think the NFL is responsible for these injuries. Players are aware of the consequences this sport brings. I think the NFL should impliment stricter rules and regulations on how someone is allowed to hit/ be hit and make strong consequences for individuals who do not follow this rule. I am not too sure if it is better to ban football all together because of the harsh health riskes it brings or to allow this sport to be played for our own entertainment sake.
Because neuroscience is such a new field and there is so much we don't know about the brain, I think it's important that individuals and major companies (like the NFL) take athlete's neurological health more seriously. I loved hearing that a study was able to find a treatment for TBIs, as they can have serious long term effects. You mentioned a participant who had lost the ability to read. One thing we do know about the brain is that our most essential cells take a very long time to regenerate, if they can at all. These findings cannot be taken lightly. That said, the NFL should be public about the correlation between playing professional football and TBIs. It would be unethical to keep this information private and to allow more players to face long-term neurological damage. The NFL should implement protocols to prevent blows to the head and, when they inevitably occur, to diagnose and treat brain trauma before it can compound (it was mentioned that repeated blows to the head leads to higher risk for a TBI).
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