"Short term memory's not good," Jim McMahon, former Chicago Bears quarterback and two-time Super Bowl champion tells ESPN. "I won't remember a lot about this interview in about 10 minutes." McMahon and his girlfriend give a rare look inside the daily struggles he says were a result of repeated blows to the head incurred during his 15-year NFL career. McMahon and hundreds of other former NFL players are suing the league for allegedly concealing information about the risk of concussions. ESPN Outside the Lines -- Taking Its Toll (8:12)(video) The 52-year-old McMahon says he suffered three documented concussions during his career, impacts significant enough that he was unaware of his surroundings. Now he has good days and bad days according to his girlfriend, Laurie Navon, who has programmed the GPS in his car with their home address in case he gets lost. He repeatedly purchases the same books on his e-reader. The Chicago Bears selected McMahon in the first-round of the 1982 NFL Draft where he won the starting quarterback position as a rookie. McMahon led the Bears to a Super Bowl victory in 1985, where he became the first quarterback in the championship's history to rush for two touchdowns. He returned to win the Super Bowl a second time as a Green Bay Packer in 1996. On Oct. 12, 1988 the Chicago Tribune reported that McMahon had been evaluated by an athletic trainer on the sideline who said, "He had a concussion, but it cleared by halftime." The NFL has much stricter policies and standards regarding head injury today, as more information on concussions has become available. Source: ESPN: Outside the Lines -- Taking Its Toll March 18, 2012 Questions/comments? contact Jean Rickerson at jean@SportsConcussions.org

Starting in 2012, helmet reconditioners will no longer accept helmets 10 years or older. Leagues that have depended on reconditioning their helmets every year and cannot afford replacement gear will be most affected. Although helmets do not prevent concussions, most experts agree that newer ones are preferable to used, and an older, unreconditioned helmet might increase the risk of injury. Many leagues ask their booster clubs for assistance with fundraising as this issue has now reached a critical phase. Limited grants for replacement helmets by leading manufacturers are now available for eligible youth leagues in several areas around the country. Applications are now being accepted for youth football programs seeking to replace their league's helmets before the start of the 2012 season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA Football and partnering organizations have introduced a helmet replacement program for youth in underserved communities. It is estimated the program will provide almost 13,000 new helmets to athletes in low-income communities beginning in July 2012. To qualify a league must meet the following criteria: - Operate a youth football league (no middle or high school programs) - Live in one of the following areas: Cleveland, New Orleans, New York, or the San Francisco Bay area - Serve an economically disadvantaged area The application process requires registration at USA Football, the governing body for youth football under the NFL. The application is accessible only after viewing a concussion awareness video and pledging to utilize USA Football's resources to educate members of your league before the 2012 season. A visit from an official to verify the ages and number of helmets exceeding 10 years of age in your inventory will occur by mid-June, with new helmets arriving prior to the beginning of the 2012 season. Participating helmet manufacturers include Rawlings, Xenith, Riddell and Schutt. Questions/comments? contact Jean Rickerson at jean@SportsConcussions.org

SportsConcussions.org Named One of Constant Contact’s 2011 All Stars SportsConcussions.org recognized for achieving exemplary marketing results SEQUIM, Wash. — April 4, 2012 – SportsConcussions.org, a non-profit concussion education organization, has received the 2011 All Star Award from Constant Contact®, Inc., the trusted marketing advisor to more than half a million small organizations worldwide. Each year, a select group of Constant Contact customers are honored with the All Star Award for their exemplary marketing results. SportsConcussions.org’s results ranked among the top 10% of Constant Contact’s customer base. “We’re pleased to be recognized by Constant Contact for achieving strong marketing results, said Jean Rickerson, CEO and Founder of SportsConcussions.org. “Constant Contact’s tools have helped us reach a large audience with the all-important message regarding sports-related concussions in a very efficient way. We look forward to increasing our communication efforts even more in the coming year, to help protect more athletes. We are very grateful to all of our customers who follow us on our website, on social media and through our weekly newsletter. Our goal is to provide them with ideas and resources so they can protect athletes in their local communities.” Constant Contact looked at the following criteria to select this year’s All Stars: · Frequency of campaigns, events, and surveys · Open, bounce, and click-through rates · Event registration rates · Survey completion rates · Use of social features · Use of mailing list sign-up tools “There is nothing we like more than to see our customers finding success. It’s the reason Constant Contact was founded, and it’s a thrill to see the fantastic results that our All Stars are achieving,” said Gail Goodman, CEO of Constant Contact. “This group is really leading the charge when it comes to delivering relevant, engaging content that drives real business results. We salute this year’s All Stars for their success, and are honored to have played a part in their achievements.” About SportsConcussions.orgSportsConcussions.org is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about sports-related concussions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) up to 3.8 million people suffer from a recreation- or –sport related concussion each year. SportsConcussions.org is anchored by a website that is update daily, featuring news, ideas and resources for school districts, leagues, coaches, parents and athletes. The organization also holds community workshops and conferences, and establishes baseline testing programs. About Constant Contact, Inc. Constant Contact is revolutionizing the success formula for small organizations through affordable, easy-to-use Engagement MarketingTM tools that help create and grow customer relationships. More than half a million small businesses, nonprofits, and associations worldwide rely on Constant Contact to drive ongoing customer dialogs through email marketing, social media marketing, event marketing, and online surveys. All Constant Contact products come with unrivaled KnowHow, education, and free coaching with a personal touch, including award-winning customer support.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) issued a warning to athletes and parents of athletes to thoroughly understand the extent of protection provided by – or not provided by – athletic equipment worn while playing sports. This warning follows claims made by several companies that products such as head bands, supplements or mouth guards reduce the incident of concussion. NOCSAE issued the warning at the onset of its summer meeting held this year in Kansas City. NOCSAE is an independent organization with the dual purpose of setting standards for the performance of athletic equipment and funding research necessary to advance the science of sports. Through NOCSAE's independent process, physicians, academic researchers, coaches, trainers and manufacturers come together to establish standards based on accepted science and reliable data. "Parents, athletes and coaches are becoming more informed about concussions, and this increased awareness is vitally important to advancing athlete safety. But it also creates a demand for quick solutions. Unfortunately there are quick solutions offered for sale which have neither scientific nor medical support that validate their claims to prevent or reduce concussions," said Mike Oliver, NOCSAE executive director. "Any device or supplement promoted as being able to prevent, diagnose or cure a concussion must be supported by scientific data and peer-reviewed research. Currently there is no definitive scientific research linking mouth guards, head bands, supplements or other specialty products to a reduction in concussion risk or severity. For companies to suggest otherwise misleads athletes, parents and coaches into a dangerous false sense of protection against concussion. NOCSAE warns athletes and parents of athletes to get the facts about sports equipment and concussion protection and not rely solely on marketing and promotional materials when making equipment decisions." NOCSAE does not maintain any standards for such products, and, therefore, no such products can be claimed as meeting the NOCSAE standards. While protective equipment certified to the NOCSAE standard play an incredibly important role in protecting athletes on the field of play, they should be not the primary approach to protecting against concussion. Learning to avoid unnecessary head impacts, reporting concussion symptoms to a coach or parent and following trained medical management decisions about when a concussed athlete can return to play are far more likely to prevent a concussion or reduce the chance of chronic problems that may be related to untreated concussions. For more information, please visit www.nocsae.org. About NOCSAE NOCSAE, the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment, is an independent and nonprofit standard-setting body with the sole mission to enhance athletic safety through scientific research and the creation of performance standards for protective equipment. Formed in 1969, NOCSAE is a leading force in the effort to improve athletic equipment and, as a result, reduce injuries. NOCSAE efforts include the development of performance and test standards for football helmets and facemasks, baseball and softball batters and catchers helmets, baseballs and softballs, ice hockey helmets, soccer shin guards, lacrosse helmets and facemasks and polo helmets. NOCSAE is comprised of representatives from a number of groups which have an interest in athletic equipment – including manufacturers, reconditioners, athletic trainers, coaches, equipment managers, sports medicine and consumer organizations. These diverse interests have joined forces in an attempt to arrive at a common goal of reducing sports-related injuries. NOCSAE is a nonprofit, charitable organization supported by individuals and organizations with an interest in athletics. SOURCE: National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) Questions/comments? contact Jean Rickerson at jean@SportsConcussions.org Back to top RELATED LINKShttps://www.nocsae.org Source: PR Newswire (https://s.tt/1ezQW)

The first of three private screenings was held in Chicago on May 15th for "Head Games," a documentary on the sports concussion crisis. From acclaimed director Steve James (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters) and award-winning producer Bruce Sheridan, Head Games takes a deeper look at the devastating and long-term effects of concussions in all sports. Inspired by events from the book Head Games written by Christopher Nowinski, the film offers eye-opening insight and cutting-edge science on head trauma from the nation’s leading medical experts. Additional screenings will be held June 6 at the Boston University School of Medicine Albany Street Auditorium and June 7 in Philadelphia at the Translational Research Center (TRC) Rubenstein Auditorium. Watch the trailer Questions/comments? contact Jean Rickerson at Jean@SportsConcussions.org

Bronx, NY — Patients vary widely in their response to concussion, but scientists haven’t understood why. Now, using a new technique for analyzing data from brain imaging studies, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University andMontefiore Medical Center have found that concussion victims have unique spatial patterns of brain abnormalities that change over time. The new technique could eventually help in assessing concussion patients, predicting which head injuries are likely to have long-lasting neurological consequences, and evaluating the effectiveness of treatments, according to lead author Michael L. Lipton, M.D., Ph.D., associate director of the Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center at Einstein and medical director of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) services at Montefiore. The findings are published today in the online edition of Brain Imaging and Behavior. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than one million Americans sustain a concussion (also known as mild traumatic brain injury, or mTBI) each year. Concussions in adults result mainly from motor vehicle accidents or falls. At least 300,000 adults and children are affected by sports-related concussions each year. While most people recover from concussions with no lasting ill effects, as many as 30 percent suffer permanent impairment – undergoing a personality change or being unable to plan an event. A 2003 federal study called concussions “a serious public health problem” that costs the U.S. an estimated $80 billion a year. Previous imaging studies found differences between the brains of people who have suffered concussions and normal individuals. But those studies couldn’t assess whether concussion victims differ from one another. “In fact, most researchers have assumed that all people with concussions have abnormalities in the same brain regions,” said Dr. Lipton, who is also associate professor of radiology, ofpsychiatry and behavioral sciences, and in the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience at Einstein. “But that doesn’t make sense, since it is more likely that different areas would be affected in each person because of differences in anatomy, vulnerability to injury and mechanism of injury.” In the current study, the Einstein researchers used a recently developed MRI technique called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) on 34 consecutive patients (19 women and 15 men aged 19 to 64) diagnosed with mTBI at Montefiore in the Bronx and on 30 healthy controls. The patients were imaged within two weeks of injury and again three and six months afterward. The imaging data were then analyzed using a new software tool called Enhanced Z-score Microstructural Assessment Pathology (EZ-MAP), which allows researchers for the first time to examine microstructural abnormalities across the entire brain of individual patients. EZ-MAP was developed by Dr. Lipton and his colleagues at Einstein. DTI detects subtle damage to the brain by measuring the direction of diffusion of water in white matter. The same technology was used by Dr. Lipton and his team in widely publicized research on more than 30 amateur soccer players who had all played the sport since childhood. They found that frequent headers showed brain injury similar to that seen in patients with concussion. The uniformity of diffusion direction – an indicator of whether tissue has maintained its microstructural integrity – is measured on a zero-to-one scale called fractional anisotropy (FA). In the latest study, areas of abnormally low FA (reflecting abnormal brain regions) were observed in concussion patients but not in controls. Each concussion patient had a unique spatial pattern of low FA that evolved over the study period. Surprisingly, each patient also had a unique, evolving pattern of abnormally high FA distinct from the areas of low FA. “We found widespread high FA at every time point, all the way out to six months and even in patients more than one year out from their injury.” said Dr. Lipton. “We suspect that high FA represents a response to the injury. In other words, the brain may be trying to compensate for the injury by developing and enhancing other neural connections. This is a new and unexpected finding.” At present, diagnosis of concussions is based mainly on the nature of the patient’s accident and the presence of symptoms including headache, dizziness and behavioral abnormalities. DTI, combined with EZ-MAP analysis, might offer a more objective tool for diagnosing concussion injuries and for predicting which patients will have persistent and progressive symptoms. The paper is titled “Robust Detection of Traumatic Axonal Injury in Individual Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Patients: Intersubject Variation, Change Over Time and Bidirectional Changes in Anisotropy.” Contributors include Namhee Kim, Ph.D.; Tova M. Gardin, B.A.; Keivan Shifteh, M.D.; Mimi Kim, Sc.D.; Molly E. Zimmerman, Ph.D.; Richard B. Lipton, M.D.; and Craig A. Branch, Ph.D., all of Einstein and Montefiore; and Young Park, M.D., who earned his degree from Einstein; and Miriam Hulkower, a medical student at Einstein. Source: Novel Brain Imaging Technique Explains Why Concussions Affect People Differently Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University -- Newswise; June 9, 2012 Questions/comments? contact Jean Rickerson at jean@SportsConcussions.org

Like emergency workers rushing to a disaster scene, cells called microglia speed to places where the brain has been injured, to contain the damage by ‘eating up’ any cellular debris and dead or dying neurons. Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, have now discovered exactly how microglia detect the site of injury, thanks to a relay of molecular signals. Their work, published May 24, 2012 in Developmental Cell, paves the way for new medical approaches to conditions where microglia’s ability to locate hazardous cells and material within the brain is compromised. “Considering that they help keep our brain healthy, we know surprisingly little about microglia,” says Francesca Peri, who led the work. “Now, for the first time, we’ve identified the mechanism that allows microglia to detect brain injury, and how that emergency call is transmitted from neuron to neuron.” When an emergency occurs, cries can alert bystanders, who will dial the emergency number. A call will go out over the radio, and ambulances, police or fire engines in the area will respond as needed. In the brain, Peri and colleagues found, injured neurons send out their own distress cry: they release a molecule called glutamate. Neighbouring neurons sense that glutamate and respond by taking up calcium. As glutamate spreads out from the injury site, this creates a wave of calcium swallowing. Along that wave, as neurons take up calcium they release a third molecule, called ATP. When the wave comes within reach, a microglia cell detects that ATP and takes it as a call to action, moving in that direction – essentially tracing the wave backwards until it reaches the injury. . Lost alert: when microglia (green) cannot detect ATP (bottom), they don’t move to the injury site as they usually would (top).Photo credit: EMBL/Peri Scientists knew already that microglia can detect ATP, but this molecule doesn’t last long outside of cells, so there were doubts about how ATP alone could be a signal that carried far enough to reach microglia located far from the site of injury. The trick, as Peri and colleagues discovered, is the long-lasting glutamate-driven calcium wave that can travel the length of the brain. Thanks to this wave, the ATP signal is not just emitted by the injured cells, but is repeatedly sent out by the neurons along the way, until it reaches microglia. Dirk Sieger and Christian Moritz in Peri’s lab took advantage of the fact that zebrafish have transparent heads, which allow scientists to peer down a microscope straight into the fish’s brain. They used a laser to injure a few of the fish’s brain cells, and watched fluorescently-labelled microglia move in on the injury. When they genetically engineered zebrafish to make neurons’ calcium levels traceable under the microscope, too, the scientists were able to confirm that when the calcium wave reached microglia, these cells immediately started moving toward the injury. Knowing all the steps in this process, and how they feed into each other, could help to design treatments to improve microglia’s detection ability, which go awry in conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Source: Sieger, D, Moritz, C., Ziegenhals, T., Prykhozhij, S. & Peri, F. Long-range Ca2+ waves transmit brain damage signals to microglia.Developmental Cell, published online 24 May 2012. Questions/comments? contact Jean Rickerson at jean@SportsConcussions.org

SEQUIM, Wash. -- Battle-tested and a little weary from last fall’s high school football season, Travis Anderson, an experienced EMT and paramedic John Riley, understand the nuances of concussions. Athletes who — if they are conscious – say they are ‘fine,’ coaches who may not be sure an athlete needs medical attention, and parents told by ER staff that rest is the prescription for recovery, trying to make sense of the mountain of hospital medical bills. They’ve seen it all, and it’s not easy. First responders like Anderson and Riley from Clallam County Fire District #3 in Sequim, Wash., are a luxury for school districts around the country. Part of a crew made up of paid staff and volunteers, they wait in the corners until given the signal by a coach or referee, or a player goes down and stays there. Like other on-field personnel they can’t see every impact and don’t always know if an athlete is deteriorating on the bench after a big hit. They depend on an educated coaching staff and fellow teammates for their cues. Anderson said,”We’d like to be called sooner rather than later. If there’s any question, especially with a suspected concussion, call us.” Too little care Only about 42 percent of high schools nationally employ athletic trainers, a dismal number in the eyes of many concussion experts who continue to advise against any school district or private organization offering contact sports without proper sideline medical care. Given the budget crises facing many school districts, it is not surprising so few heed this advice. But the challenges in rural areas are even greater. Long distances separate football fields from hospitals and fire stations can serve several high schools. Resources are simply too lean. Many sports-related concussions “Our fire department provides sideline staff for high school football games, and as many junior varsity games as we can. We consider it part of our community service effort and quite frankly, we feel strongly about protecting our student-athletes and their futures,” said District #3’s Fire Chief, Steve Vogel. His first responders have been on the sidelines at Sequim School District's games since 1982. Chief Vogel’s staff has a long history dealing with sports concussions. Former Sequim football player Adrien Gault suffered a catastrophic brain injury during a game in 2006 and was airlifted to a Seattle trauma center where doctors gave him a four-percent chance of survival. He continues to work through his recovery. This past fall, a Sequim student suffered a brain aneurysm during a Friday afternoon PE class and died a few days later. That same Friday there were six significant concussions on the football field a few hundred yards away, said a well-informed source, turning the field into a war zone. Fire District #3 was there for it all. “There were more concussions during that one game than I’ve seen in my entire career, including my time as a running back in high school,” said Anderson. “It was a rarity.” Neither he nor Riley, who played tight end in high school remember suffering concussions during their football careers. They believe they’re seeing so many due to increased awareness trickling down from the NFL. Anderson said, “I think the attention on the concussion issue in the NFL is having an affect on all levels of the game, all the way down to the youngest players.” Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Guidelines and training for first responders come in the form of online education modules and concussion-related drills practiced several times a year. Soon-to-be-released state protocols developed by emergency room physicians, critical care nurses, EMTs, and others who make up the state committee of the federal Emergency Medical Services for Children program include a sports-concussion guide for first responders. Upon distribution, this document will provide a handy reference for those who attend youth and high school athletic events. “The Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program works to ensure proper pediatric care is available on ambulances and in hospital emergency departments nationwide,” said Ian Weston, Co-Director of the EMSC program headquartered in suburban Wash. D.C. “Emergency care providers are integral in ensuring our children get the right care when it counts.” When to call 911 Concussion symptoms can be subtle and may not appear right away, leaving room for mistakes to be made if athletes are not properly monitored when a concussion is suspected. The following are symptoms that require a call for emergency evaluation: •headaches that worsen •seizures •neck pain •very drowsy, can't be awakened •repeated vomiting •increasing confusion or irritability •weakness, numbness in arms and legs •unable to recognize people/places, less responsive than usual For more information see Should we call 911?, signs and symptoms Photo: (L) John Riley (firefighter/paramedic); (R) Travis Anderson (firefighter/EMT) Questions/comments? contact Jean Rickerson at jean@SportsConcussions.org

New Findings Provide Important Data for Refining Diagnosis Postmortem analysis of the brains of ten professional athletes with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) provides new insights into the specific types of brain abnormalities associated with this diagnosis, reports a study in the July 2011 issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health. The findings may help to refine the cellular criteria for making the postmortem diagnosis of CTE, provide initial clues as to some possible subytpes, and improve identification of cases. The study was led by Drs. Bennet I. Omalu and Julian Bailes of the Brain Injury Research Institute at West Virginia University.Detailed Information on Brain Abnormalities in CTE The researchers performed a detailed evaluation of autopsy brain specimens from 14 professional athletes and three high school football players who died unexpectedly. The goal was to take an in-depth looks at the cellular-level abnormalities associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)—a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated head trauma, seen especially in high-level competitive athletes. Patients with CTE develop mood disorders, cognitive dysfunction, and other psychiatric symptoms, typically occurring years after a history of repeated concussions. Drs. Omalu and Bailes have played a pivotal role in CTE research, having reported on the first three cases of CTE in American football players. Of the 14 professional athletes in the study, ten had autopsy brain findings consistent with a diagnosis of CTE. The CTE cases were seven football players, two wrestlers, and one boxer. Most died from non-natural causes—mainly suicide or trauma. The authors present a detailed analysis of the neuropathological findings in their cases of CTE. The main feature was "neurofibrillary tangles" (NFTs) and "neuritic threads" (NTs) scattered in different areas of the brain. The brains also show evidence of localized areas of brain trauma occurring amny years previously. Findings Suggest Possible 'Emerging' Subtypes None of the athletes with CTE had the characteristic brain atrophy (shrinkage) of Alzheimer's disease. None of the brains showed the widespread amyloid deposits typical of Alzheimer's disease, but some had scattered to frequent amyloid deposits. Although there are not yet enough cases to develop a true classification system, the authors identify some possible "emerging phenotypes" of CTE, based on the number and location of NFTs and NTs and amyloid deposits. The researchers also examined the brains of three high school football players who died of trauma sustained during competition. None of these young athletes met criteria for a diagnosis of CTE. However, one brain showed early, "incipient" abnormalities similar to those of CTE brains, likely related to repeated brain injury. Since the first reported case in 2002, there has been growing concern about CTE and other consequences of repeated head trauma and concussions in football players and other athletes. The findings have led to renewed discussion of the consequences of head trauma—not only in athletes, but also in other high-risk groups such as combat veterans. The Brain Injury Research Institute was created to study the short and long-term impact of brain injury and concussions and the development of CTE. Drs. Omalu and Bailes and colleagues hope their findings will contribute to further research into the neurological and psychosocial impact of CTE. In addition to proposing some possible subtypes of CTE, they suggest a set of pathological tests to be performed in diagnostic investigation of possible CTE. They believe that "CTE diagnosis and surveillance should become intrinsic components of routine patient care work-ups and routine hospital/medical examiner autopsies in high risk cohorts like athletes." Source: Study Takes a Closer Look at Brain Abnormalities in Athletes with CTE -- Lippincott Williams & Wilkins -- Newswise July 12, 2011 Questions/comments? Contact Jean Rickerson at Jean@SportsConcussions.org