NFL Football season is here

[Commander Wallace]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Brain-jelly-making season again.

I can understand why you would make that comment. CTE or Chronic traumatic encephalopathy of the brain has been found in athletes who play sports where there is a prevalence of repeated blows to the head as in Hockey, football, boxing and other sports. It's manifestations are characterized by thinking, comprehension and memory issues and behavioral changes like chronic depression and aggression. The Pathology or neuropathological appearance are differentiated from other neurological diseases like Alzheimer's by a reduction in brain weight, associated with atrophy of the frontal and temporal cortices and medial temporal lobe.

People may not experience potential signs of CTE until years or decades after brain injuries occur. A definitive diagnosis of CTE can only be made after death, when an autopsy can reveal whether the known brain changes of CTE are present. Certainly, individuals who have suffered multiple concussions are in that high risk Category.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chroni...encephalopathy

Sadly, the early signs of CTE have been found in young children who also have played football and Hockey and sports where head injuries and concussions are prevalent. Some sporting combines in the U.S have taken steps to mitigate these injuries for example by not allowing children who play soccer ( football in the U.K ) to make ball blocks with their head.

Certainly, Boxers are at high risk for CTE. Mohamad Ali ( Cassius Clay )
In 1984, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's syndrome, a disease that sometimes results from head trauma from violent physical activities such as boxing. Questions remain at to whether Ali had CTE as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali

A good friend of mine that I went to college with played Rugby and loved it. Rugby is a pretty rough and robust sport and I'm wondering if any changes are contemplated or have already been implemented in the U.K, Germany or elsewhere in light of CTE diagnosis's in the U.S . Rugby is also a cherished game in the U.K. Rugby players don't wear helmets either like most early NHL and amateur hockey players.

I think that young children who play in sports with a high degree of physical contact are most at risk and parents should know the risks so that they can make an intelligent and informed decision as to allow their children to participate in these sports. Other things could be done such as rule changes and better engineered equipment or a combination of both.

It would be interesting to see what our Subsim Members in the U.K and elsewhere feel about these Issues.