OT: NYT CTE is Found in Ex Giant who died at 27

[The Public Enemy]

From the article...Football IMO has a serous problem:

Cut by the Giants in 2013 after what was at least his fifth concussion, Sash had returned to Iowa and increasingly displayed surprising and irregular behavior, family members said this week. He was arrested in his hometown, Oskaloosa, for public intoxication after leading the police on a four-block chase with a motorized scooter, a pursuit that ended with Sash fleeing toward a wooded area.

Sash had bouts of confusion, memory loss and minor fits of temper. Although an Iowa sports celebrity, both as a Super Bowl-winning member of the Giants and a popular star athlete at the University of Iowa, Sash was unable to seek meaningful employment because he had difficulty focusing long enough to finish a job.

Barnetta Sash, Tyler’s mother, blamed much of her son’s changeable behavior, which she had not observed in the past, on the powerful prescription drugs he was taking for a football-related shoulder injury that needed surgery. Nonetheless, after his death she donated his brain to be tested for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or C.T.E., a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated trauma that has been found in dozens of former N.F.L. players.

Sash, who was cut by the Giants in 2013 after what was at least his fifth concussion, was found to have the degenerative brain disease C.T.E.CreditDemetrius Freeman/The New York Times
Last week, representatives from Boston University and the Concussion Legacy Foundation notified the Sash family that C.T.E. had been diagnosed in Tyler’s brain and that the disease, which can be confirmed only posthumously, had advanced to a stage rarely seen in someone his age.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/27/s...ler-sash-found-to-have-cte.html?smid=fb-share

 

[EasyCard]

Not according to leading neuro surgeons.
Found in the report Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Is It Real?The Relationship Between Neurotrauma and Neurodegeneration
CONCLUSION
Approximately 150 cases of CTE are reported in the literature, if one accounts for publication of duplicative cases.
Because thus far only case reports and retrospective selected series have been published, long-term and longitudinal studies are needed for clarification. The ability to perform in vivo imaging will allow us to follow living subjects to track the progression of tau protein deposition and to learn whether it is dynamic, reversible, or treatable, which is an exciting scientific frontier. There are many remaining uncertainties about CTE(Table 2), and although the true incidence and prevalence are unknown, the senior author (J.E.B.) believes that only a small minority of former contact sport athletes will develop the full clinical and neuropathological syndrome. The potential for confounders, environmental factors, role of comorbidities,neurodegenerative syndrome overlap, natural history, and numerous other factors and their impact are still presently unknown.

The NFL has science and facts on their side, but the victimizers have the press and now Hollywood. Since the NFL is lead by back-boneless wimps who cower to political pressure, they wont fight the false public perception.

 

[beantowncard]

The perception, whether it squares with reality or not, is a huge problem for the sport, as youth participation rates are down and marginal high school and even college programs may shut down for lack of players. While I agree with the Weasel-like nature of the NFL, they are right to be as cautious as possible. Some individuals seem to be more susceptible than others to concussions, but predetermining this, so they can be directed away from football, is not possible at this time. It is also not possible to predict what hit will cause damage, so the game can be taught and rules can be made to reduce those hits. We just don't know enough about CTE, including how to diagnose it early, to react effectively to it.

I can't help but think that changes in the rules, from free substitution to the rules changes of the 80s favoring the passing game, have resulted in much bigger players; and changes to equipment, including hard plastic helmets and face masks, have changed tactics and techniques drastically. These changes,I believe, have had the net effect of making the game less safe, especially with respect to concussions, which was the opposite of their intention. The NFL is trying, which is an improvement over what they were doing a few years ago.

 

[Pike 96]

Not according to leading neuro surgeons.
Found in the report Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Is It Real?The Relationship Between Neurotrauma and Neurodegeneration
CONCLUSION
Approximately 150 cases of CTE are reported in the literature, if one accounts for publication of duplicative cases.
Because thus far only case reports and retrospective selected series have been published, long-term and longitudinal studies are needed for clarification. The ability to perform in vivo imaging will allow us to follow living subjects to track the progression of tau protein deposition and to learn whether it is dynamic, reversible, or treatable, which is an exciting scientific frontier. There are many remaining uncertainties about CTE(Table 2), and although the true incidence and prevalence are unknown, the senior author (J.E.B.) believes that only a small minority of former contact sport athletes will develop the full clinical and neuropathological syndrome. The potential for confounders, environmental factors, role of comorbidities,neurodegenerative syndrome overlap, natural history, and numerous other factors and their impact are still presently unknown.

The NFL has science and facts on their side, but the victimizers have the press and now Hollywood. Since the NFL is lead by back-boneless wimps who cower to political pressure, they wont fight the false public perception.

And Smoking isn't bad for you.....just ask the Tobacco companies...they have science on their side. Circa 1990..

 

[Knucklehank1]

Not according to leading neuro surgeons.
Found in the report Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Is It Real?The Relationship Between Neurotrauma and Neurodegeneration
CONCLUSION
Approximately 150 cases of CTE are reported in the literature, if one accounts for publication of duplicative cases.
Because thus far only case reports and retrospective selected series have been published, long-term and longitudinal studies are needed for clarification. The ability to perform in vivo imaging will allow us to follow living subjects to track the progression of tau protein deposition and to learn whether it is dynamic, reversible, or treatable, which is an exciting scientific frontier. There are many remaining uncertainties about CTE(Table 2), and although the true incidence and prevalence are unknown, the senior author (J.E.B.) believes that only a small minority of former contact sport athletes will develop the full clinical and neuropathological syndrome. The potential for confounders, environmental factors, role of comorbidities,neurodegenerative syndrome overlap, natural history, and numerous other factors and their impact are still presently unknown.

The NFL has science and facts on their side, but the victimizers have the press and now Hollywood. Since the NFL is lead by back-boneless wimps who cower to political pressure, they wont fight the false public perception.

What you posted isn't a conclusion, but a scientist basically saying that there hasn't been enough research done to draw an effective conclusion. This team of researchers wants to be able to test humans that are alive to make a definitive analysis. Tell that to a mother that is thinking about having their child play football.

Steps continually need to be made to make the game safer and continually advance helmet technology.