American footballer suicide prompts brain injury investigationRSS Feed

The suicide of a retired American footballer has prompted scientists to focus on the potential for his emotional problems having been caused by brain injury.

Dave Duerson committed suicide last week, but researchers at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University Medical School are going to test brain matter for signs of problems.

Center co-director Chris Nowinski told ABC News of how serious of a problem brain injury is becoming in the NFL.

He told the news agency: "Essentially, your brain actually starts falling apart because you've been hit in the head and ten to 20 years later start getting symptoms, memory problems, emotional problems and eventually it leads to dementia.

"Football players are at very high risk because they take, studies show, about a thousand hits to the head."

Earlier this week, brain injury charity Headway's spokesman Luke Griggs explained that traumatic brain injury can happen to anyone.

He urged Brits to realise just how important it is to take precautions to protect their heads from impacts that could cause traumatic brain injury.

News brought to you by Serious Law specialists in traumatic brain injury

Posted by Paul Breen

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