Can I have your brain? The quest for truth on concussions and CTE | Chris Nowinski

Introduction

Chris Nowinski introduces himself and shares his story of how he became interested in studying concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Chris's Background

• Chris was a football player at Harvard University.

• He later joined the WWE as a wrestler.

• After suffering a severe concussion, he experienced permanent post-concussion symptoms.

Learning About CTE

• While researching concussions, Chris learned about CTE.

• CTE is a disease that causes the brain to degenerate due to repeated head trauma.

• Symptoms include memory problems, depression, impulse control issues, and aggression.

First Cases of CTE

• The first two NFL players studied for CTE were found to have it.

• Mike Webster had dementia at 50 years old.

• Terry Long took his life at 45 years old.

Writing "Head Games"

Chris discusses writing his book "Head Games: Football's Concussion Crisis" and learning more about CTE.

Researching for the Book

• Chris wasn't getting answers from doctors about his own post-concussion symptoms.

• He started researching medical literature on concussions and discovered information on CTE.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

• Chris learned that CTE is not just about concussions but also repeated head trauma over time.

• Boxers were known to develop this disease due to their sport.

Lack of Awareness

Despite evidence of the dangers of repeated head trauma in sports, there was little awareness or action taken by organizations like the NFL.

Lack of National News Coverage

• Even after the first two cases of CTE were discovered in NFL players, there was no national news coverage on this issue.

Andre Waters

• Andre Waters was a former NFL player who took his own life.

• Chris discovered that Waters had suffered from at least 15 concussions during his career.

• Waters' brain was not studied for CTE.

Obtaining Brain Samples

Chris discusses how he obtained the brain of Andre Waters to study for CTE.

Contacting the Medical Examiner

• Chris contacted the medical examiner in Florida, where Waters died, to ask if they still had his brain.

• The medical examiner confirmed that they did have it but were not planning on studying it for CTE.

Getting Permission

• The medical examiner told Chris that he needed permission from Waters' family to obtain the brain sample.

• If he got permission, the medical examiner would release the sample to him.

Starting the Brain Bank

In this section, Dr. Ann McKee talks about how he started the Concussion Legacy Foundation and the brain bank to study CTE.

Cold-calling Andre Waters's mother

• Dr. Ann McKee was hesitant to cold-call an 88-year-old grieving mother who just lost her son to suicide.

• He decided to call her because if guys are killing themselves from this disease, they could study it to prevent it from happening in the future.

• Andre Waters's family was gracious about the call and wanted to know what happened to him.

Starting a Brain Bank

• Dr. Ann McKee partnered with Boston University and scientists at VA in Boston to start a brain bank.

• They were the first center in the world focused on CTE.

• The brain bank helped them acquire brains for research purposes.

Creating a Culture of Brain Donation

• Early on, Dr. Ann McKee realized that reading obituaries every day and calling families for their loved ones' brains was taking a toll on him.

• He decided to create a culture of brain donation by starting a brain donation registry where athletes could pledge their brains publicly.

• Over 2,500 athletes have signed up since then.

What We Learned

In this section, Dr. Ann McKee talks about what they learned from studying over 500 brains at the Concussion Legacy Foundation's brain bank.

The Problem

• When they started, only 45 cases existed in the world of this disease that had been studied in brain banks.

• Since then, they have acquired 500 brains and found over 300 of them had CTE.

Impact

• The Concussion Legacy Foundation's brain bank has been successful in changing how they're able to get brains.

• Instead of Dr. Ann McKee having to call, more families call them.

• They can now focus on taking this information and figuring out how to work towards a cure and prevention.

The Fight Against CTE

In this section, Dr. Ann McKee discusses the prevalence of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) in college football players and the need for treatment.

Prevalence of CTE

• Of the first 53 college football players studied, 48 had CTE.

• This is a major concern for Dr. McKee.

Need for Treatment

• Dr. McKee is focused on finding ways to treat CTE.

• However, there are currently no treatments available from the pharmaceutical industry.

• Additionally, CTE cannot be diagnosed in living people.

• This is a long-term fight that requires ongoing research and development.

Preventing CTE

In this section, Dr. Ann McKee discusses how we can prevent CTE by reducing head trauma in sports and avoiding hitting children in the head.

Prevention Strategies

• We can prevent CTE by reducing head trauma in sports.

• Children should not be hit in the head as it increases their risk of developing CTE later in life.

Hope for a Cure

In this section, Dr. Ann McKee expresses hope that we will find a cure for CTE.

Finding a Cure

• Despite the challenges, Dr. McKee believes that we are on our way to curing CTE.

• Ongoing research and development are necessary to achieve this goal.

Conclusion: Can I Have Your Brain?

In this section, Dr. Ann McKee concludes her talk by asking for donations to support her research and requesting brain donations from individuals who have experienced head trauma.

Brain Donations

• Dr. McKee asks for brain donations from individuals who have experienced head trauma.

• She believes that studying these brains is essential to understanding and treating CTE.

• Donations can be made through the Concussion Legacy Foundation.