The Concussion Crisis

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The Concussion Crisis Page 38

by Linda Carroll


  Roger Goodell’s youth advocacy: Details of legislative campaign came from a May 23, 2010, Associated Press story titled “Goodell Sends Letter to 44 Governors.” Details of meeting with Robert Cantu came from Caleb Daniloff, “Game Changers,” Bostonia, Fall 2010, and Peter Keating, “Coming to a Head,” ESPN The Magazine, January 10, 2011.

  CTE cases involving younger brains: Details of Chris Henry’s story came from multiple news accounts, including “Ex-Bengal Is First in N.F.L. Known to Play with Brain Trauma,” New York Times, June 29, 2010. Details of Owen Thomas’s story came from multiple news accounts, including “In College Player’s Suicide, Signs of Disease That Haunts N.F.L.,” New York Times, September 14, 2010.

  Hit-impact research: Background on studies of head impacts in college football players came from an interview with Kevin Guskiewicz, Ph.D. Details on his own research came from various articles and published studies conducted by his Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill. Additional information came from various articles, including Malcolm Gladwell, “Offensive Play,” New Yorker, October 19, 2009, and “Safer Football, Taught from Inside the Helmet,” New York Times, November 6, 2010. Details of the 2010 study involving three NCAA football teams came from “For Head Injuries, a Problem in Practice,” New York Times, September 17, 2010. Details of the high school impact study came from Thomas M. Talavage et al., “Functionally-Detected Cognitive Impairment in High School Football Players without Clinically-Diagnosed Concussion,” Journal of Neurotrauma, published early online in October 2010, and David Epstein, “The Damage Done,” Sports Illustrated, November 1, 2010. Details on Virginia Tech’s pioneering use of helmet-sensor technology came from the September 17, 2010, Times article and various other stories, including “Concussion Worries Renew Focus on Football Safety,” NPR, September 25, 2010.

  Certified athletic trainers: Statistic came from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.

  Neuropsychological testing: Details on how trainers use neuropsych tests came from Tracey Covassin et al., “Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) Practices of Sports Medicine Professionals,” Journal of Athletic Training 44:639–44, 2009. Details on the Washington state school district that rejected use of ImPACT came from “Despite Law, Town Finds Concussion Dangers Lurk,” New York Times, September 23, 2010. Kevin Guskiewicz’s quote came from Michael Popke, “Hit Hard,” Athletic Business, December 2009.

  College football controversy: Details came from “Put Me In, Doc: When Doctors Must Say No to Athletes,” American Medical News, October 25, 2010.

  Mayo Clinic concussion conference: Details came from multiple news stories, including “With Focus on Youth Safety, a Sport Considers Changes,” New York Times, October 17, 2010; “Panel Urges Hockey to Ban Blows to Head at All Levels,” New York Times, October 21, 2010; and “N.H.L. Declines to Modify Head-Checking Rule,” New York Times, October 22, 2010.

  Canadian youth hockey study: Concussion data in peewee leagues came from Carolyn A. Emery et al., “Risk of Injury Associated with Body Checking among Youth Ice Hockey Players,” Journal of the American Medical Association 303:2265–72, 2010.

  Philadelphia Eagles concussion controversy: Coverage of Stewart Bradley’s missed concussion came from multiple news stories, including “Return of a Stumbling Eagle Raises Concerns,” New York Times, September 14, 2010; “Too Little Time to Assess Injury,” Philadelphia Inquirer, September 15, 2010; “Televised Collapse Delivers Warning on Unseen Injuries,” New York Times, September 16, 2010; and “Silence Follows Announcers’ Concern,” New York Times, September 17, 2010.

  Epilogue

  Dave Showalter’s story: Narrative based on interviews with Dave Showalter.

  NFL crackdown: Details of the head hits that led to the tipping point and the NFL’s response to them came from multiple news stories. James Harrison’s quote came from “Defenders Criticize N.F.L. for Helmet-to-Helmet Fines,” New York Times, October 21, 2010. Description of player pushback and relevant quotes came from Peter King, “Concussions: The Hits That Are Changing Football,” Sports Illustrated, November 1, 2010, and “Urlacher Upset with NFL Flagrant Hits Policy,” Chicago Tribune, October 19, 2010. The newspaper columns cited were by William Rhoden, “To Lower Violence, Escalate the Penalty,” New York Times, October 18, 2010, and Brad Wilson, “Philadelphia Eagles’ Head Coach Andy Reid Knows Preventing Head Injuries Is Worth Causing a Period of Uncertainty in the NFL,” Easton Express-Times, November 9, 2010.

  Madden NFL: Details on the video game’s redesign came from “Madden Puts Concussions in New Light in His Game,” New York Times, April 3, 2011. Background on the video game’s history came from Tim Layden, “The Big Hits,” Sports Illustrated, July 30, 2007.

  Dave Duerson’s story: Details came from the BU Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy’s press conference on May 1, 2011; from several New York Times news stories; and from Paul Solotaroff with Rick Telander, “The Ferocious Life and Tragic Death of a Super Bowl Star,” Men’s Journal, May 2011.

  Sidney Crosby’s story: Details of his head injuries and their aftermath came from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette news stories of January 8, 2011; January 9, 2011; January 25, 2011; and April 30, 2011. Background on his concussion’s impact on the NHL came from New York Times stories of January 21, 2011, and March 14, 2011. Pat LaFontaine’s quotes came from Craig Custance, “LaFontaine: A Cautionary Tale,” Sporting News, March 14, 2011.

  Troy Aikman: Quotes came from Troy Aikman, “The NFL Should Proceed with Caution on Head Injuries,” Sporting News, December 21, 2009.

  Harry Carson’s story: Details came from John Solomon, “Retirement Plan #2,” Sports Illustrated, June 1, 1998; William Nack, “The Wrecking Yard,” Sports Illustrated, May 7, 2001; Bob Drury, “This Is Your Brain on Multiple Concussions,” Men’s Health, July/August 2006; Greg Garber, “Concussions Still Carson’s Concern,” ESPN.com, February 2, 2010; and Victoria Schlesinger, “Heads Up,” Discover Presents The Brain, Spring 2010.

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  Index

  Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations.

  Abb, Chari, 85–94

  Abb, Chris, 89, 90–94

  ABC, 40

  ABC News, 112–13, 116

  absence seizures, 62

  accidents, xii, 15

  see also car accidents

  Adams, J. Hume, 157–58, 162, 164

  Afghanistan, 108, 114–19

  Aikman, Troy, 17–24, 29–30, 40–41, 43–44, 129, 264, 273–74

  Akron, University of, 57–58

  Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center at, 174–75

  Ali, Muhammad, 178, 179–82, 183, 184, 196–202, 203

  beatigs taken by, 196–99, 201

  biography of, 200–201

  brain changes in, 200–201

  as Cassius Clay, 194, 195, 196, 197

  Foreman’s fight with, 183, 196–97

  Frazier’s fights with, 196, 197–98, 201

  at Olympic Games, 201–2

  Pacheco and, 197–99

  parkinsonism of, 181–82, 185, 199–202, 208

  Patterson’s fights with, 209

  in Requiem for a Heavyweight, 195, 196

  retirement of, 199

  Robinson as idol of, 194

  All the King’s Horses and All the King’s Men video, 104

  Alzheimer’s disease, 247

  amyloid beta plaques in, 175–77, 213, 214–15, 217, 230

  celebrity victims of, 194

  dementia pugilistica’s resemblance to, 177, 185, 192, 205, 211, 231, 232

  football-in
duced CTE vs., 215, 230, 231, 232

  genetic factors in, 205–6

  head trauma linked to, 194, 205

  hippocampus as origin site of, 215

  memory problems of, 230, 232, 233

  mild cognitive impairment and, 241, 246

  tau tangles in, 177, 192, 214, 230

  TBI linked to, 175–77, 223, 228

  amantadine, 138

  American Academy of Neurology, 204, 208

  American College of Sports Medicine, 263

  American Medical Association (AMA), 204, 207

  American Neurological Association, 208

  amnesia, 4, 6, 117, 188–89, 254, 277

  amygdala, 169–70

  amyloid beta plaques, 175–77, 213, 214–15, 217, 230, 233

  amyloid precursor protein (APP), 175

  Anthropological Society of Paris, 148, 151

  apoE 4 genetic mutation, 205–6

  Arizona National Guard, 68–75, 80

  athletic trainers, 8–9, 10, 11, 15, 25, 26, 32, 48, 57, 121, 129, 245, 249, 260–62, 265

  Australia, 164, 207

  autopsies, 13, 14, 146, 147, 149, 151, 157, 162, 164, 175, 186, 191, 213–19, 220, 225–28, 229–34, 246, 250, 258

  axons, see diffuse axonal injury

  Bailes, Julian, 228, 234, 246–48

  Bailey, Ace, 52

  balance problems, 60, 100, 134, 136–37, 262, 277

  vertigo in, 4, 19, 187, 190

  Baltimore Colts, 235–44

  Barnum, P. T., collection of, 146, 147

  basketball, 51, 57, 256, 261

  women’s, 27–31

  Baun, Whitey, 36–40

  Baun, Willie, 36–40, 58

  Baylor University Medical Center, 18–19

  Bedford VA Medical Center, 228–34

  Belichick, Bill, 249

  Benítez, Wilfred, 195

  Benoit, Chris, 228

  Benson, Dick, 253

  Berbick, Trevor, 199

  Bigelow, Henry J., 147

  bomb blasts, xiii, 68–85, 108–14, 118–19

  IEDs in, 69–71, 76–77, 115, 159

  Boothby, Michael, 116

  Boston Society for Medical Improvement, 147

  Boston University, Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical and Research Program at, 228–34

  Bouillaud, Jean Baptiste, 148

  “Boxer, The” (Simon and Garfunkel), 208

  boxing, xiii, 50, 160, 177, 178–211, 213, 224, 230–32, 233, 247

  banning of, 190, 204, 207–8

  brain damage as goal of, 207

  deaths in, 206–7, 210

  football vs., 49

  force of punches in, 195

  in Great Britain, 189–91

  heavyweight, 178–85, 186, 188, 193–94, 195, 196–202, 203, 209–11

  in 1920s, 185–89

  prizefighter’s curse of, 181, 193, 199

  safety reforms for, 192, 204, 206–8

  state licensing of, 199, 208

  see also dementia pugilistica

  Bradley, Stewart, 264–65

  Brady, Tom, 229

  brain:

  amygdala of, 169–70

  animal studies of, 26, 157–59, 160, 162, 165–70

  autopsies of, 13, 14, 146, 147, 149, 151, 157, 162, 164, 175, 186, 191, 213–19, 220, 225–28, 229–34, 246, 250, 258

  blood flow in, 173–74

  blood supply of, 171

  brain stem of, 200–201

  cerebellum of, 192

  cortex of, see cerebral cortex

  dopamine in, 199–201

  immature, increased vulnerability of, xi–xii, 16, 25–26, 33–34, 127, 167–70, 273

  language area of, 148–52, 150

  localized functions of, 142, 143–56, 153

  motor function in, 148

  neurotransmitters in, 170, 200

  plasticity of, 168–69

  retraining of, 267–68

  rewired connections of, 82–83, 93, 100, 175

  septum of, 182, 184, 192, 200

  substantia nigra of, 192, 200–201

  swelling of, 13–14, 17, 32, 52, 56, 122

  whale’s, 161

  Brain, 157

  Brain, Lord Walter Russell, 190

  brain banks, 228–34

  brain changes, 191–92, 200–201, 230–32

  cerebral atrophy, 182, 184, 191, 193, 200

  chemical, 26

  hole in septum, 182, 184, 192, 200

  brain chemistry, 26, 166–74

  glucose metabolism in, 166–67, 171, 172–73

  metabolic cascade in, 170–72

  brain damage, 92, 142–56, 157–77, 214

  as boxers’ goal, 207

  case histories of, 143–56

  documentation of, 142–43

  microscopic, 157–60, 159, 162, 214–15, 217

  minimized, 35

  neurosurgical, 152–56

  permanent, xi, 7, 8–9, 11, 16–17, 23, 24, 26, 31–35, 55, 63, 66, 127, 131, 159, 162, 171–72, 233, 249, 256, 267

  visible, 143–48, 156

  see also diffuse axonal injury; frontal lobe damage

  Brain Damage in Boxing: A Study of the Prevalence of Traumatic Encephalopathy among Ex-Professional Boxers (Roberts), 190–91

  brain injuries, see traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)

  Brain Injury Association of America, 101, 275, 279

  brain scans, 73–74, 157, 166, 172–75, 181, 247

  CAT, 13, 37, 60, 61, 96, 102, 121–22, 134, 142, 182, 184, 193, 199, 200, 207, 208

  DTI, 174–75

  fMRI, 173–74, 259

  MRI, 142, 150, 151–52, 200, 208

  PET, 172–73, 174

  Brenner, Teddy, 198

  British Boxing Board of Control, 190

  British Medical Journal, 189–90

  Broca, Paul, 148–52, 150

  Brolinson, Gunnar, 260

  Brooks, Jill, 5–7, 61–67

  Buck, Joe, 264

  Buffalo Sabres, 53–55

  Burke Rehabilitation Center, Brain Injury Program of, 206

  California, University of:

  at Berkeley, 167–68

  at Davis, 151–52

  California, University of, at Los Angeles (UCLA), 165–73

  Brain Injury Research Center of, 166

  Medical Center of, 199–200

  Camp, Walter, 49

  Campbell, Clarence, 52

  Canada, 51–52, 56–57, 154, 207, 263

  Canadian Football League (CFL), 57

  Cantu, Robert, 12–16, 167, 223–24, 228, 234, 257–59, 262, 263–64, 265

  car accidents, xiii, 15, 68, 102, 105, 127–28, 129, 132, 159, 162, 227

  catastrophic, 85–94

  minor, 94, 95–101

  Carey, Jamie, 27–31

  Carson, Harry, 274–75

  Casson, Ira, 182, 207, 216, 246–48, 255

  CAT scans, 13, 37, 60, 61, 96, 102, 121–22, 134, 142, 182, 184, 193, 199, 200, 207, 208

  CDC video, 31–32

  Centenarian Study, 229, 233

  Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, 229, 232, 250, 255, 270

  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), xii, 11, 16, 255, 278, 279–80

  cerebellum, 192

  cerebral cortex, 167, 169

  atrophied, 182, 184, 191, 193, 200

  dorsolateral prefrontal, 174–75

  posterior parietal, 173–74

  Chassay, Mark, 29–30

  cheerleading, 31, 134–41

  Chicago Bears, 124, 269

  child abuse, 108

  children, 133, 223, 247, 255–60, 269, 275

  football players as role models of, 24, 47, 120, 253, 256, 273

  permanent brain damage in, 16–17, 31–35, 257

  public service announcement aimed at, 255–56

  undocumented TBIs in, 102–8, 258–60

  vulnerable brains of, xi–xii, 16, 25–26, 33–34, 127, 167–70, 273

  youth sports and, 27, 36–
40, 47, 48–49, 53, 56, 63–65, 67, 253, 255–59, 263, 265, 272

  see also football, high school; second-impact syndrome

  Chrebet, Wayne, 45–46

  chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), 189, 205, 206, 217–18, 247, 272

  see also dementia pugilistica

  chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), football-induced, 212–44, 246–48, 257, 270–71, 273–75

  in active college player, 258

  Alzheimer’s disease vs., 215, 230, 231, 232

  amyloid beta deposits in, 214–15, 217, 230, 233

  in autopsied brains, 213–19, 220, 225, 226, 227–28, 229–34, 246, 250, 258

  behavior changes in, 212–13, 215, 220, 227, 238, 239

  caretakers of, 235–44

  concussion history in, 215, 216, 218, 224, 228, 238, 241, 273–74

  depression in, 213, 217, 218–19, 223, 224, 225, 227, 240, 258, 274

  in eighteen-year-old boy, 250, 253, 258

  financial hardships imposed by, 215–16, 235–37

  as “gridiron dementia,” 228, 234

  media coverage of, 227, 232, 243, 247–48, 250–51, 252

  memory loss in, 215, 224, 232, 233, 238–39, 240–41, 270

  and NFL health benefits, 215–16, 236–37, 243–44

  paranoia in, 213, 217, 224, 225, 227, 239, 242–43

  personality changes in, 213, 215, 217, 224, 225, 227, 230, 232, 238, 239, 242–43

  progressive nature of, 228, 235, 236, 238–43

  suicide and, 217, 218–19, 220, 224–25, 228, 232, 258, 270, 274

  tau tangles in, 214–15, 217, 230, 233, 250

  “Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in a National Football League Player” (Omalu), 216, 224

  coaches, 2, 3, 8–9, 11, 26, 32, 36–40, 41–43, 44, 49, 57, 59, 61, 63–64, 80, 121, 122–24, 125, 126–27, 129, 130, 133, 166, 248, 249, 254, 255–56, 260, 262, 272–73

  cognitive deficits, 29, 31, 54, 65, 66, 77–83, 86, 88–94, 97–101, 102, 103, 122, 123, 181, 189, 190, 249, 252, 259, 267, 274

  cognitive impairment, mild, 241, 246

  cognitive neuroscience, 151

  cognitive therapy, 80, 82–83, 99

  Collins, Michael, 129

  Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, 196

 

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