(This is a reposting due to requests following the end of the SuperBowl and Football season)

3 ARTICLES RELATED TO THE NFL AND C.T.E. IN PLAYERS

These articles can be used in conjunction with both the scientific method and the chapters on brain and nervous system function.  These articles may be useful for motivating students who have an “avoidance” for the biological and physiological aspects of behavior.

ARTICLE #1

TITLE

Disease Found in 99 Percent of Brains Donated by NFL Families

DESCRIPTION

A number of new articles have appeared in the past month as football season begins regarding chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE.  More and more evidence and research has pointed out the problems of chronic concussion.  “There’s no question that there’s a problem in football. That people who play football are at risk for this disease, Ann McKee, director of Boston University’s CTE Center and coauthor of the study tells Emanuel. And we urgently need to find answers for not just football players, but veterans and other individuals exposed to head trauma.”

SOURCE

smithsonian.com, July 25, 2017, by Jason Daley

LINK TO RESOURCE

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cte-found-99-percent-brains-donated-nfl-families-180964202/

(Tiny URL)  http://tinyurl.com/yc5j9eum

ARTICLE #2

TITLE

The Scars From ‘Bell-Ringing’ Football Tackles

DESCRIPTION

“A study of the donated brains of 202 men who had played football across various age levels showed that 177 had the graphic scars confirming the diminished powers from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or C.T.E., a disease caused by repeated blows to the head.”  The article also points out that there are changes being made in youth football leagues to try to prevent concussions and similar types of head injuries.  The article provides a link to the scientific study which may be useful in examining the types of research done in the field.

SOURCE

New York Times, July 29, 2017, from the Editorial Board

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/29/opinion/sunday/the-scars-from-bell-ringing-football-tackles.html

(Tiny URL)  http://tinyurl.com/y8bbyyal

ARTICLE #3

TITLE

Study: CTE Found In Nearly All Donated NFL Player Brains

DESCRIPTION

This is an audio broadcast of approximately 3 minutes.  The broadcast highlights the findings of all of the recent research on football, concussions, and CTE.   It can be played in class as part of a lecture discussion.

SOURCE

NPR (National Public Radio), July 25, 2017, by Tom Goldman

LINK TO RESOURCE

http://www.npr.org/2017/07/25/539198429/study-cte-found-in-nearly-all-donated-nfl-player-brains

(Tiny URL)  http://tinyurl.com/yc6obcq4

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

•What is chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE?

•What are the symptoms?  What are the hypothesized causes?

•How is this type of research done?    Why can it only be completed posthumously?

•Have the students discuss why this type of research is relevant to their study of Psychology?  (Direct the discussion around the chapters on brain and nervous system.)