NIH Confirms Junior Seau Died With CTE

[CloakNNNdagger]

The independent investigators did not know that they were evaluating Seau's brain until after their conclusive diagnosis.


NFL player Junior Seau had brain disease CTE

BARRY WILNER | January 10, 2013 08:34 AM EST | AP

Junior Seau, one of the NFL's best and fiercest players for nearly two decades, had a degenerative brain disease when he committed suicide last May, the National Institutes of Health told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Results of an NIH study of Seau's brain revealed abnormalities consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

"The brain was independently evaluated by multiple experts, in a blind fashion," said Dr. Russell Lonser, who oversaw the study. "We had the opportunity to get multiple experts involved in a way they wouldn't be able to directly identify his tissue even if they knew he was one of the individuals studied."

The NIH, based in Bethesda, Md., conducted a study of three unidentified brains, one of which was Seau's. It said the findings on Seau were similar to autopsies of people "with exposure to repetitive head injuries."

REST OF THE STORY

[Nawzer]

Confirming the obvious but still big news.

[gtexan02]

And this is why we have such aggressive rule changes. I sometimes wonder if we will even have football in 50 years. The more we learn about what it does to your brain, the more skeptical I become.

[CloakNNNdagger]

Feel free to form your own conclusions re. the openness and honesty of the NFL regarding this matter after reviewing this timeline I've put together below.


FOOTBALL/CTE TIME LINE

2002.......first presentation of sports related CTE diagnosis (NFL vehement denial of relationship)

2005........publication of above case in peer-reviewed neurosurgical journal (immediate NFL denial of relationship and demand for retraction.............NFL Committee formed to investigate relationship [publishing physician was denied being part of committee])

2007........NFL committee official conclusion statement: There is no connection of repeated football head trauma and chronic brain damage

2010........NFL official statement to teams and players: Research does not support multiple concussions leading to chronic brain damage, if each incident is properly managed.

2012........new NFL official statement to team and players: Traumatic brain injuries may lead to problems with memory, communication, personality changes as well as depression, and early onset dementia, which can change your life, and your family’s life forever.

[TexanSam]

CTE has to be absolutely frightening for guys playing right now. I mean, Garret Graham just had two concussions in a month. Not sure if that will have any long term effects, but he has to be wondering about it. I'm guessing CTE is in the back of most players minds now, but when you've had multiple concussions I think players would probably start thinking about it more.

I wonder what long term effects this has for football? The most visible ones are rule changes, but that can only keep players safe to a point. Will young kids now switch to another sport because their parents are afraid of the potential consequences? I'd be interested to see how coaches in Pee-Wee leagues all the way up to high school are coaching football now. Do they coach their players to avoid tackling head first at all costs?

[HOU-TEX]

While I feel for his family, and I may get hammered for saying this, but imo once they sign that contract they understand the dangers they face. There will be hard hitting and there will be concussions. It's them rolling the dice and I'm willing to bet they clearly understand that.

On a side note, Cloak, is there a cure or treatment for CTE? I don't know Seau's issues leading up to his death, but couldn't he have attempted to seek help instead of suicide? The League was already aware of CTE so I'm not sure how much more Seau's brain is going to help

[2012Champs]

Originally Posted by TexanSam

CTE has to be absolutely frightening for guys playing right now. I mean, Garret Graham just had two concussions in a month. Not sure if that will have any long term effects, but he has to be wondering about it. I'm guessing CTE is in the back of most players minds now, but when you've had multiple concussions I think players would probably start thinking about it more.

I actually would guess they think about it very little if at all. Maybe that starts once their career is over but most players would lie to get back on the field and play

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by HOU-TEX

While I feel for his family, and I may get hammered for saying this, but imo once they sign that contract they understand the dangers they face. There will be hard hitting and there will be concussions. It's them rolling the dice and I'm willing to bet they clearly understand that.

On a side note, Cloak, is there a cure or treatment for CTE? I don't know Seau's issues leading up to his death, but couldn't he have attempted to seek help instead of suicide? The League was already aware of CTE so I'm not sure how much more Seau's brain is going to help

HOU-TEX,

The problem is that CTE is a POST-MORTEM diagnosis only. At this time there is no way to differentiate it clinically from some other more common brain syndromes such as dementia and Alzheimers. The diagnosis requires microscopic examination of the brain tissue...........not just a small biopsy sample, but of the entire brain. Thus far, no CT scan or MRI findings are specific to CTE. A hint "marker," such as chemical, blood or genetic test would have to be discovered to diagnose CTE in a living person. Furthermore, without studying the pathology involved in this entity in much more depth, and without gaining much more related information about CTE, no treatment can be expected to be formulated.

[Mr teX]

I doubt any of these guys who are playing now are too much worried about it...Most know pretty early on in their careers as pros that they are shaving years off thier lives by playing. They just don't know in which fashion that's going to come in...the temptation of money and fame though...its just too much; especially those who come from nothing.

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by 2012Champs

I actually would guess they think about it very little if at all. Maybe that starts once their career is over but most players would lie to get back on the field and play

Young football players are oblivious to vulnerabilities of any sort........but with the now widespread confirmation of cause and effect, you are likely to see families, wives, girlfriends and friends probably taking much more note and with much more seriousness.....and placing much more pressure on their loved ones to make wiser decisions.

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by TexanSam

CTE has to be absolutely frightening for guys playing right now. I mean, Garret Graham just had two concussions in a month. Not sure if that will have any long term effects, but he has to be wondering about it. I'm guessing CTE is in the back of most players minds now, but when you've had multiple concussions I think players would probably start thinking about it more.

I wonder what long term effects this has for football? The most visible ones are rule changes, but that can only keep players safe to a point. Will young kids now switch to another sport because their parents are afraid of the potential consequences? I'd be interested to see how coaches in Pee-Wee leagues all the way up to high school are coaching football now. Do they coach their players to avoid tackling head first at all costs?

The youngsters are the ones that I am most concerned with. CTE has already been shown to occur in those individuals that have not carried ANY history of formal concussion. The brain continually clangs around inside the skull with any activities resulting in any forceful contact sports.......even those never involving head contact. In an other thread on this subject, I spoke to the very real differences between the child's brain and that of the adult, and how it's stage of development makes is very much more susceptible early on to very bad long-term consequences.

Here is an excellent article addressing the CTE issue as relates to our youth. Why Do We Let Kids Play Tackle Football?

Up until college, parents are making the decisions that involve the potential risks and fate of their children. It could be debatable if they should carry this burden, or even be allowed the choice once the evidence is so overwhelming. We already have confirmed CTE in college and even high school football players (17 and 18 year olds).

[TexanSam]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

The youngsters are the ones that I am most concerned with. CTE has already been shown to occur in those individuals that have not carried ANY history of formal concussion. The brain continually clangs around inside the skull with any activities resulting in any forceful contact sports.......even those never involving head contact. In an other thread on this subject, I spoke to the very real differences between the child's brain and that of the adult, and how it's stage of development makes is very much more susceptible early on to very bad long-term consequences.

Here is an excellent article addressing the CTE issue as relates to our youth. Why Do We Let Kids Play Tackle Football?

Up until college, parents are making the decisions that involve the potential risks and fate of their children. It could be debatable if they should carry this burden, or even be allowed the choice once the evidence is so overwhelming. We already have confirmed CTE in college and even high school football players (17 and 18 year olds).

That's even more frightening. I knew there were cases of it happening in high school and college but did not know it could occur when the head isn't in direct contact with something or somebody else.