Neurologist Describes Football Brain Hazards

In the wake of the suicide of football player Junior Seau, some have wondered if he suffered from depression. Neurologist Walter Bradley discusses the potential damage football does to the brain.

Published

about 1 year ago

Categories

Sports, Pro Sports, US

Topics

Sports, Pro Sports, United States

People

Junior Seau

Places

United States of America, Miami

Tags

suicide, brain research

Transcript

Script[Location - Date:MIAMI 5/3/12][Source:AP][SOT/:DR. WALTER BRADLEY/NEUROLOGY PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI]When you get either punched or knocked, hit in football, it rocks around like crazy. And that was discovered a good number of years ago in animal experiments and that rocketing around that goes on in this jelly like mass inside the skull really tears nerve fibers and that tearing of nerve fibers is what accumulates over time if you have many of those head injuries.I don't think there is really a clear link between repeated concussions and depression. I think it's repeated concussions causes some neurological problem and then that neurological problem begins to make people worried and depressed. I think that's the pattern.I think the best that can be done has been done with regard to the neurological guidelines. Yes, I think there's more than can be done with regard to head injuries and helmets and things like that, but even the helmet doesn't prevent this rocketing around of of the brain inside the skull. so, it really is an inevitable part. Maybe we need to rethink some of these games, but of course these are big spectator, but money generators. It's a real conundrum for society, unfortunately.