A Blow to the Brain

Bob Simon of CBS' "60 Minutes" examines new research into the long-term effects of concussions and head trauma. According to the Centers for Disease Control, concussions from sports are an epidemic in the U.S., and such injuries are now linked to brain disease.

Former NFL great John Mackey is featured in the piece. He suffers from frontotemporal dementia and lives in a full-time care facility.

If you missed it, take a few moments to listen to our podcast with Chris Nowinski, president of the Sports Legacy Institute. Nowinski, along with Dr. Robert Cantu, founded the institute, which is dedicated to studying the effects of concussions and other sports-related brain injuries.

Thanks to Penn State Clips.

Comments

[sudden memory loss]

Interesting article, let me add that chronic encephalopathy is an example of the cumulative damage that can occur as the result of multiple concussions or less severe blows to the head. The condition called dementia pugilistica, which is associated with boxers, can result in cognitive and physical deficits such as parkinsonism, speech and memory problems, slowed mental processing, tremor, and inappropriate behavior.