A distressing report links brain injury and the onset of a CTE.
Friday 22 May 2015 07:32, UK
A report published by Oxford University on behalf of the Associations of Physicians suggests a link between rugby players who suffer ‘mild traumatic brain injury’ (MTBI) and the onset of a neurodegenerative disease known as CTE in later life.
The report looked at a case study of a 56-year former county and club player who developed symptoms such as memory loss, disorganisation and confusion.
Upon his death his autopsy revealed a patient whose exposure to repetitive ‘mild traumatic brain injury’ (mTBI) was through participation in amateur rugby union. The clinical features of CTE typically presents years to decades after any initial injury.
The report says that the association between exposure to TBI in sport and long-term damage first came to note in 1928 when it was named ‘Punch Drunk Syndrome’ as it was a condition identified in former boxers.
It goes on to say that the first case of CTE outside of boxing was diagnosed in a former American Football player but has since been identified in several post-mortems of professional
and non-professional athletes including examples from American football, ice hockey and wrestling.
As a result of this increased risk World Rugby (formerly International Rugby Board) has introduced programmes to better manage concussion injuries.
There will be more on this report throughout the day on Sky Sports News HQ
