Report could lead to changes in many sports

Study finds high rates of brain disease after concussions

A study released last week could have a dramatic impact on how sports are played.

“Research on 202 former football players found evidence of a brain disease linked to repeated head blows in nearly all of them, from athletes in the National Football League, college and even high school,” The Associated Press reports.

The disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), is a debilitating brain disease that can cause a variety of symptoms, including memory loss, difficulty thinking, impulsive behavior, depression, apathy, difficulty planning and carrying out tasks, emotional instability, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts or behavior, the Mayo Clinic reports. Other suspected symptoms include irritability, aggression, motor impairment, and speech and language difficulties.

CTE develops over the years after repeated brain injuries, the Mayo Clinic notes, and football players aren’t the only people who could develop CTE. Any person who experiences repeated heat impacts and high rates of concussion could be at risk, such as hockey players, boxers or soccer players.

However, the new study focused specifically on football players, and found that of the 202 players, 177 had CTE, including 110 of the 111 brains from former NFL players, the AP reports.

Experts told the AP that there were still many questions on the table, such as determining genetic risk, the impact of lifestyle choices such as alcohol or diet, and how many years of football is too many.

Playing any sport comes with a certain degree of risk. Knees, for example, can be seriously hurt and permanently damaged playing sports such as soccer or basketball.

But when it comes to CTE, there is no known cure, the Mayo Clinic reports.

And so the question on the table is this: is there a way to make sports safer, in order to protect their heads? The CTE study focused on football, but has implications for a variety of sports.

The NFL has recently adopted stricter safety rules, the AP notes, and has a fund to compensate former players. But it remains to be seen whether or not those stricter rules are protecting players enough.

The conversation is one that has been simmering, but frankly, it seems there is more that can be done to protect athletes.

In the meantime, players are going to have to decide whether or not the risk of CTE is worth the rewards of playing sports.