Dr. Ann McKee of Boston University studies the brains of deceased football players at the world's largest brain bank, hoping to learn about the long-term impact of repeated head traumas for people ranging from professional athletes to victims of domestic abuse.
Adam Reed reports.
The longterm effects of head trauma and concussion in athletes has been a pressing issue for sports organizations such as the NFL, research being carried out at Boston University by Dr. Ann McKee has been trying to understand the lasting effects of repeated impact to the head.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) CHIEF OF NEUROPATHOLOGY, VA BOSTON AND DIRECTOR CTE CENTER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DR. ANN MCKEE, SAYING: "It's really a wide scope of people that can be affected by repetitive head trauma.
And what we've found is that some of them develop this long term disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy." Among the 850 human brains in McKee's brain bank are those of former NFL players and according to an American Medical Association study from 2017, her research found CTE in 99% of those professional football players' brains.
Possibly her most notable brain examinations was that of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, where tests found extensive signs of CTE damage that was uncommon for a 27-year old.
Hernandez was was convicted of murdering his friend in 2015 and killed himself in prison in 2017.
Other NFL players Dave Duerson and Junior Seau were also diagnosed with CTE after taking thir own lives.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) CHIEF OF NEUROPATHOLOGY, VA BOSTON AND DIRECTOR CTE CENTER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, DR. ANN MCKEE, SAYING: "There does seem to be an increase in risk with the longer you play football, but you don't have to play that long to be at risk.
We also found for every year, played - every single year played of football - it increased your risk for CTE by 30%.
The NFL now adopts its own concussion protocol and in 2016, the league allotted $40 million in funding towards neuroscience research, also pledging $100 million towards player safety amid concerns about concussions.
A 2018 report showed the NFL had approved more than $500 million in concussion-claims settlements.