Researchers Move Closer To In-Life Diagnosis Of Disorder Caused By Traumatic Brain Injuries

A Boston University study has moved researchers closer to being able to diagnose one type of traumatic brain injury in living patients, reports the Boston Herald. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, is a disorder caused by repeated head trauma that first made headlines when several famous NFL players were diagnosed after their deaths. The disorder received additional headlines in 2015 with an Eclipse Award-winning Paulick Report feature about the dangers of multiple concussions for jockeys.

CTE can only be confirmed after a patient's death, but sufferers report dramatic mood shifts, cognition problems, and loss of coordination.

The new study utilized MRI scans of 55 deceased brain donors with CTE and 31 healthy brains, and showed that those with CTE had shrinkage of the brain in regions like the frontal lobe, temporal lobe and other structures such as the hippocampus, which has a major role in learning and memory.

Dr. Jesse Mez, study co-author, director of the Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Center, and a BU CTE Center investigator, explained that MRI might be able to be used to diagnose CTE in living patients. Diagnoses are vital for the development of treatments for the disorder.

“The only way we can develop a treatment is if we can diagnose it in life and have people with the diagnosis try the treatments,” said Dr. Mez.

A follow-up story in the Paulick Report in 2020 showed that the U.S. racing industry is still struggling with implementation of concussion protocols, and that some states have made more progress than others.

Read more about the Boston University CTE study at the Boston Herald.

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NYRA Establishing Concussion Protocols For Jockeys With Center For Sports Medicine

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and the Center for Sports Medicine at New York Institute of Technology today announced a collaboration that establishes the Center for Sports Medicine as NYRA's official concussion management team.

Accordingly, the Center for Sports Medicine will take a leading role in the continued development of concussion protocols for jockeys at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.

In December 2020, the Center for Sports Medicine launched a concussion baseline testing program for jockeys competing at the 2020-21 winter meet at Aqueduct. This program is ongoing, with additional baseline testing to be performed during the spring/summer meet at Belmont and the summer meet at Saratoga.

“The Center for Sports Medicine is at the forefront of concussion science, research and prevention,” said Martin Panza, NYRA Senior Vice President of Racing Operations. “Dr. Zwibel and his team will be a tremendous addition as we work together to finalize comprehensive protocols to further protect jockeys in New York.”

In addition to baseline testing, which is central to informing future treatment and concussion assessment, the Center for Sports Medicine will provide expert resources in the diagnosis of potential concussions as well as treatment plans for jockeys seeking a safe return to the racetrack. Further, the Center for Sports Medicine will provide continuing education for jockeys and NYRA personnel to ensure a more thorough understanding of concussion prevention.

“NYRA clearly prioritizes the health and safety of the world class athletes riding at their racetracks,” said Hallie Zwibel, D.O., medical director and director of the Center for Sports Medicine at New York Institute of Technology. “This collaboration is a reflection of that fact and will result in a concussion management plan that can serve as a national blueprint for thoroughbred racing.”

The new collaboration underscores the Center for Sports Medicine's existing efforts to promote increased concussion safety. In recent years the Center for Sports Medicine has teamed with a number of current and former jockeys, including Ramón Dominguez, who was forced to retire in 2013 when he sustained head injuries during a race.

“I am very encouraged that NYRA is collaborating with New York Institute of Technology to enhance jockey safety,” said Dominguez. “As awareness for concussion safety has risen, so has the level of protection for these amazing athletes and this collaboration continues those important efforts.”

As a result of their work with current and former jockeys, the Center for Sports Medicine assisted The Jockeys Guild in the development of “return to ride” guidelines, which provide instruction on when injured jockeys can safely return to racing. Zwibel also serves as a medical consultant on a research project led by New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine assistant professor Milan Toma, Ph.D., which uses fluid dynamics to evaluate the safety of jockey helmets.

For additional information, visit NYRA.com.

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