TY - JOUR
T1 - Blowing the whistle on sports concussions
AU - Edlow, Brian L.
AU - Hinson, Holly E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 American Academy of Neurology.
PY - 2015/10/27
Y1 - 2015/10/27
N2 - On March 13, 2015, Chris Borland, a star rookie linebacker on the San Francisco 49ers, announced his early retirement from professional football, citing concerns about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Borland, who had a history of 2 diagnosed concussions, walked away from a multi-million-dollar contract and potential sports superstardom, explaining that "from what I've researched and what I've experienced, I don't think it's worth the risk." 1 Perhaps just as surprising as Borland's announcement was the support he received from teammates and other athletes-support that reflects a growing recognition in the athletic community that repetitive head trauma may be associated with CTE and other forms of dementia. 2 Indeed, in a recent legal settlement, the National Football League estimated that approximately 30% of its former players will develop dementia. At the high school and college levels, state legislatures and universities have enacted limits to the number of full-contact practices, citing similar concerns about concussions. These developments have prompted a societal conversation about the risks of contact sports.
AB - On March 13, 2015, Chris Borland, a star rookie linebacker on the San Francisco 49ers, announced his early retirement from professional football, citing concerns about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Borland, who had a history of 2 diagnosed concussions, walked away from a multi-million-dollar contract and potential sports superstardom, explaining that "from what I've researched and what I've experienced, I don't think it's worth the risk." 1 Perhaps just as surprising as Borland's announcement was the support he received from teammates and other athletes-support that reflects a growing recognition in the athletic community that repetitive head trauma may be associated with CTE and other forms of dementia. 2 Indeed, in a recent legal settlement, the National Football League estimated that approximately 30% of its former players will develop dementia. At the high school and college levels, state legislatures and universities have enacted limits to the number of full-contact practices, citing similar concerns about concussions. These developments have prompted a societal conversation about the risks of contact sports.
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U2 - 10.1212/WNL.0000000000001902
DO - 10.1212/WNL.0000000000001902
M3 - Review article
C2 - 26253447
AN - SCOPUS:84945248795
SN - 0028-3878
VL - 85
SP - 1442
EP - 1443
JO - Neurology
JF - Neurology
IS - 17
ER -