The team physician for the Baltimore Ravens believes hope is on the horizon for getting a better understanding of the long-term effects concussions can have on professional football players.
Dr. Andrew Tucker?s optimism stems from his trip to Illinois last month where he participated in an NFL summit on the subject. The summit came at a time when there is growing anecdotal evidence and studies linking concussions to such mental problems as depression and dementia.
The biggest benefit to the summit, Dr. Tucker said, was that it opened a dialogue between members of the NFL?s mild traumatic brain injury committee and doctors on the outside who have questioned their work on the subject.
“Getting into the same room and talking with those who have a difference of opinion is much more valuable than airing out your differences in the media,” Dr. Tucker said.
At issue are studies like the one conducted by the University of North Carolina?s Center of Retired Athletes. That study found retired players with three or more concussions were five times more prone to be diagnosed with a mild cognitive impairment and three times more likely to have significant memory problems compared with those players without a history of concussions.
Also, Pittsburgh area forensic pathologist Dr. Bennett Omalu has said publicly that there may be a link between dementia and head trauma after examining the brains of deceased former NFL players Justin Strzelczyk, Mike Webster, Andre Waters and Terry Long.
“We have a better understanding of concussions now, but there?s a lot we still don’t know,” said Dr. Tucker, who added the NFL would use similar studies as a starting point for a more extensive study by the league. “We not only need to look at the professional level, but at the lower levels to find ways of improving awareness in regard to dealing with potential head injuries.”
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said at a press conference during the summit that the long-term health and safety of the league’s players is the most important thing to him, which is why the league brought in so many dissenting voices at the summit.
“We have gone out and sought independent doctors to be able to give us advice in this area,” Goodell said. “We want to find out exactly what is happening with our players, both current and former players, and make sure that we are providing the best possible care.”
