{"id":45,"date":"2016-03-25T00:06:00","date_gmt":"2016-03-25T00:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/davidchangspine.com\/?p=45"},"modified":"2023-09-19T15:09:32","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T15:09:32","slug":"nfl-admits-link-between-sport-and-brain-injury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/davidchangspine.com\/nfl-admits-link-between-sport-and-brain-injury\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL Admits Link Between Sport and Brain Injury"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The National Football League has long held the stance that there is no definitive link between the sport and chronic traumatic encephalopathy<\/a> (CTE), but it appears they have changed their tune in the wake of new research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked if there was a link between football and neurodegenerative diseases like CTE, NFL senior vice president for health and safety Jeff Miller replied, \u201cThe answer to that question is certainly yes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miller\u2019s acknowledgement came after assessing recent research by Dr. Ann McKee, a Boston University neuropathologist, who has diagnosed CTE nearly in nearly 100 former NFL players. The condition can only be diagnosed after the person has passed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI unequivocally think there\u2019s a link between playing football and CTE,\u201d McKee said. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen it in 90 out of 94 NFL players whose brains we\u2019ve examined, we\u2019ve found it in 45 out of 55 college players and six out of 26 high school players. No, I don\u2019t think this represents how common this disease is in the living population, but the fact that over five years I\u2019ve been able to accumulate this number of cases in football players, it cannot be rare. In fact, I think we are going to be surprised at how common it is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NFL later released a statement about Miller\u2019s comments, saying \u201cThe comments made by Jeff Miller yesterday accurately reflect the view of the NFL.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NFL had previously settled a lawsuit filed by the player\u2019s union over concussions and CTE for $1 billion, but the players are appealing based on Miller\u2019s statements and a clause that stated the NFL would not be held liable for any future claims of CTE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a progressive degenerative disease caused by repetitive head trauma. Contrary to what some people believe, it\u2019s not just a bunch of concussions that can lead to the disease. Concussions can certainly play a role, but asymptomatic subconcussive hits to the head also contribute to the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This repetitive trauma triggers progressive degeneration of the brain tissue, which can lead to the build-up of an abnormal protein in the brain. This protein \u2013 known as tau \u2013 and the larger condition of CTE have been associated with numerous neurological conditions, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n