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Brain injury study scheduled to begin

Oklahoma patients who suffered repeated hits to the head may be interested to learn that a study has been planned to prevent irreversible brain damage caused by chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Brain scans and biomarkers from 240 men will be studied. Half of the participants are former NFL players. Of the remainder, 60 had played at the college level while the other 60 had no significant contact sports experience.

CTE is a degenerative disease that has been linked with repeated trauma to the head. The repeated hits are thought to cause chemical changes that show up in distinctive patterns in the brain. Up until this study, the disease has only been diagnosed by examining brain tissue from those who have already died. By learning how to spot changes in the brain that indicate this disease, experts may be able to diagnose it in living patients so that irreversible brain damage does not occur.

According to the study’s lead investigator, detecting these brain diseases early is the key to intervention. The course of the disease may potentially be changed. This can result in slowing down the damage before destruction occurs. The participants will be tracked for three years with the focus being on any markers that could be associated with chemical changes. If the study is successful, it could potentially lead to life-saving treatment and prevention.

A traumatic brain injury can have detrimental effects on a person’s ability to live a normal life. Although commonly associated with sports like football and boxing, these types of injuries can also result from a blow to the head during a car collision. If such an accident was caused by the negligence of another motorist, the victim may may want to have legal assistance in filing a lawsuit against the at-fault party seeking compensation for the losses that have been and will be incurred.