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Football Concussions

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Today, concussions are a serious factor in most sports and have moved to the center of attention in public awareness. According to the Sports Concussion Institute, a concussion is “a complex pathophysiological process that affects the brain, typically induced by trauma to the brain” (2016). Most concussions occur without the individual losing consciousness yet these impairments can lead to dementia, aggression, confusion, impaired judgment, and depression and may not be treatable. In fact, per Marcos Abreu, “the American Academy of Neurology discovered that athletes are at greatest risk of repeat injury in the first 10 days’ post-concussion and suggested that the more head injuries a person suffers; the more likely they are to face complications …show more content…
Culverhouse (2011) cites evidence from medical research about the effects of concussions on football players, interviews with neurologists, and her personal stories of players affected by injury on the field. She contends that when a football player receives a concussion, he or she exhibits certain short term side effects which may include blurred vision, headaches, nausea, sensitivity to light, and nausea. Other more serious cognitive impairments may include difficulty concentrating, memory loss, anxiety, seizures, trouble walking, confusion of location, and numbness of the limbs. According to Abreu (2016), “one-third of former NFL players will develop some type of long-term cognitive issue as a result of playing football.” In the article, the author writes about the high rate of severe brain damage among retired NFL players and examines the evidence presented in federal court where players have sued the NFL and provides a synthesis of information on how one third of the former players in the NFL suffer “long term cognitive and emotional problems.” Pro Football Hall of Famers Tony Dorsett and Joe DeLamielleure, and former NFL All-Pro Leonard Marshall who were diagnosed as having signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a degenerative condition caused by a buildup of tau, an abnormal protein that strangles brain cells in areas that control memory, emotions and other functions. The author contends CTE is caused by head trauma and linked to depression and dementia and can be associated with injuries associated with their careers of playing football (Abreu

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