Image Source: Wikimedia Commons/U.S. Army Former professional wrestler, Olympian, and powerlifter Mark Henry has earned his title as the World’s Strongest Man time and time again throughout his career. Now that he is retired, though, he says he is working to leave an even larger impact on the world. This week, the former World Heavyweight champion revealed that he has pledged to donate his brain for CTE research while talking with former wrestler and Concussion Legacy Foundation co-founder Chris Nowinski. The conversation arose on Nowinski’s SiriusXM show Busted Open, as the host discussed th ..read more

Image Source: Dr. Ann McKee/Boston University One of the biggest hurdles in identifying chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in living people has always been distinguishing the condition from Alzheimer’s disease. Both conditions are characterized by large numbers of tangled tau proteins or plaques which are seemingly indistinguishable between CTE and Alzheimer’s. However, a new breakthrough may have uncovered a subtle difference which could differentiate the protein tangles in these conditions and could potentially lead to effective diagnostic methods for people living with CTE. Using cryo ..read more

One of the least recognized but perhaps most disruptive symptoms after a concussion is vision impairment. While some experience difficulty focusing their eyes after a brain injury, others say they can’t stand to be around harsh lights. However, it appears it may not require a full-on clinical concussion to cause vision issues. A new study published in JAMA Ophthalmology suggests that even non-concussive head impacts may have short-term effects on vision. Like the vision changes brought about by concussions, the vision issues from sub-concussive hits are temporary. Still, they could have a sig ..read more

Source: Flickr/Flazingo Photos For those with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), finding employment can often be very difficult. According to some estimates, more than 60% of those who have survived a moderate-to-severe TBI Many survivors live with significant disabilities which can have a significant impact on a person’s employability, but there is evidence that physical and mental disability is just one factor preventing those with moderate-to-severe TBI from finding a job. According to researchers from the Kessler Foundation, another significant predictor of a TBI survivor’s e ..read more

Cognitive training is able to not only reduce depression levels after a traumatic brain injury (TBI), but can even improve overall brain health according to new findings published in the journal Human Brain Mapping. The new findings found that after undergoing cognitive training, patients with TBI reported significant reductions in the severity of depressive symptoms, increased ability to manage emotions, improvements in cortical thickness, and recovery from abnormal neural network connectivity. “To our knowledge, this is the first study to report brain change associated with reduced depressi ..read more

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) have been associated with memory problems, behavioral issues, and difficulty controlling anger. So, it might not be surprising to hear a UK study has found more than half of prisoners have experienced a TBI. While it is currently believed this high rate of brain injury may fuel violent crimes in the prison system, it also reveals an “opportunity” to screen individuals for brain injury. The researchers say screening and providing treatment to prisoners with TBI may reduce the chance of repeated, potentially more violent offending. The team – consisting of expert ..read more

Source: Mike De Sisti/USA TODAY Sports Brett Favre has infamously only been knocked out once in his 20-year professional football career. The moment came on his very last play, capping off a record-breaking career with a devastating blow. However, it wasn’t his only concussion. Losing consciousness is considered one of the trademark signs of a concussion, but loss-of-consciousness only occurs in approximately 10% of concussions. While Favre had relatively few documented concussions during his career, his own estimate of his brain injury history reflects the evolving understandings about concus ..read more

Source: Keith Allison / Flickr The NFL has had a bad year with brain injuries. Several high-profile incidents caught the league ignoring its own concussion protocols and letting obviously concussed athletes remain on the field. One study found that 110 or 111 brains of former NFL players showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Harsh criticism made the NFL change its own concussion regulations late in the season. Now, the latest data shows the National Football League also saw a 16% increase in concussions during the last season. In light of all of this, the NFL’s chief medical ..read more