Head clash: Footballers and administrators have been warned of the dangers of concussions. Picture: Michael Dodge Source: Herald Sun

MEDICAL experts have said Australian football codes must investigate the long-term impact of head injuries and concussions.

Concerns are intensifying over the potential for concussions to cause long-term harm after autopsies on brains of American National Football League players showed evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), two Australian researchers say.

CTE is a degenerative brain disease with similar symptoms to early onset dementia.

Players of Australia’s three major football codes regularly sustain concussions, raising concerns about possible brain damage, cognitive impairment and mental health problems, the researchers say in an article published on the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) website today.

The University of Tasmania’s Frederic Gilbert and the University of Queensland’s Bradley Partridge say there is an urgent need to investigate the cumulative effects of head traumas over long periods by tracking athletes’ playing history and recording head injuries.

They say the research would require the co-operation of all three codes – Australian rules, rugby league and rugby union – and the findings could prove controversial.

"This research may raise uncomfortable questions about how head injuries are managed but it is crucial for the football codes to facilitate such research to ensure the safety and future welfare of their players," the article said.

Reducing the risk of concussive impacts was even more important in amateur leagues to protect vulnerable young players, Dr Gilbert and Dr Partridge said.

In an editorial in the MJA, director of neurosurgery at Royal Melbourne Hospital, Andrew Kaye, said athletes, referees, administrators, parents and coaches all had a responsibility to learn about when it was safe to play again after injury.

Prof Kaye, a board director of AFL club Hawthorn, said the AFL and NRL had developed their own concussion guidelines in line with the Zurich consensus statement, considered world’s best practice.

However, he said there was a danger that links between CTE and the playing history of American footballers and ice hockey players had been overstated.

Media interest had centred on a handful of reported cases, some of which involved a family history of dementia and illicit drug use, he said.

"Critically, the detection of pathological change in the brains of former athletes does not necessarily support a causal relationship with their sporting careers or history of head impacts," he said.

All three medical experts said the use of protective headgear was problematic in sport as athletes altered their playing behaviour, with some American footballers using their helmets as "weapons". 

(poverty of thought, lack of motivation, social isolation, blunting of emotions etc)
Which symptoms do you suffer from?

dunno. i'll have to ask the voice in my head what he thinks

huh? i would ask you to consider this person and then tell me what the positive aspects of delusion are, because i just dont see any…

americangirl.co.uk/images/hea…

schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that can make the lives of sufferers very distressing. i know someone diagnosed with schizophrenia who, due to the medication he was on whilst in a psychiatric hospital, became so distressed that he leapt out of his bedroom window, and so now he has brain damage to deal with as well as schizophrenia

though schizophrenia is a much misunderstood illness, it is still a very serious one

if you yourself have schizophrenia then you dont have my sympathy cos i dont think youd want it. prob better if i just say we're not all like that ignoramus above with the witless quip

edit – oh ok. forgive me, i misunderstood. we each are different, i can only speak from my own secondary experience of schizophrenia. and so, based on that experience, i still have misgivings about viewing delusion as a beneficial trait

dont misunderstand me, im not having a go, far from it. just speaking as i find

I don't think voices and delusions are 'accepted', most people are badly informed about this disease yet still have enough general knowledge to know that hearing voices is a sign of severe mental problems…

I once supported a lady who found her voices comforting; they were of her late Mother and she found them reassuring.

Now that you have explained it..I do not have that illness but my husbands ex-wife does. for us it easier to accept the positive.

I have half a mind to answer this question but I'll leave it for the time being.

Some have no symptoms, some itch,burn,cause nasty fluids leaking, and some (if left untreated caused brain damage years ago).

I would go to a free clinic or your Dr if you have one and get tested.

Many can cause long term problems and that is not good.

Hope you get your answers.

Some remain dormant for years. you can get free tests usually at you county health department.

they start in like 6 to 9 months the most commmon symtopms are burning urinal dispose in other words when u pee

lol 6 to 9…69

when you start to burn or itch

STD symptoms can start quickly or lie dormant for years, it depends on the std. you can have some STD's (like Herpes) and never have symptoms – yet still pass it on to others.

Do some research at the places below and there is a sex ed professional at the safer sex room at club462.com who can give you proper answers to any questions.

Are You At Risk for ADHD?

Much research has been done on how you get ADHD, and it is now known that genetics is at least part of the reason. Current research demonstrates that at least 30%-40% of individuals with ADHD have a family member that is experiencing the same kinds of issues. However, this does not mean that the entire family will be affected by these issues; findings indicate that when more family members are affected, it is usually limited to one member.

There are many different theories as to what exactly causes ADHD. for many years, it was thought that ADHD was caused by some kind of brain damage; however, it is now believed to be caused by brain chemistry. Researchers have been looking specifically at neurotransmitters as the cause of ADHD. Examples of neurotransmitters that could be affected by this disorder are dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. because people in families tend to have similar brain wirings, it makes sense that ADHD would be at least partly genetic.

Other theories that have been investigated are that ADHD could also be caused by some sort of illness or accident that produced damage to the brain. possible examples include complications that had occurred during pregnancy, such as drugs used to prevent infectious diseases, consuming alcohol, overexposure to radiation or a complicated delivery.

Many have questioned whether nutritional deficiencies are linked to ADHD. although this has not been ruled out, it is doubtful that a particular deficiency would cause this disorder. While it is true that certain nutritional deficiencies will cause symptoms that are similar to ADHD, there is no proof or scientific evidence that a link exists. Research experts in autism and other behavior disorders have looked for a nutritional link as well, but have found none. However, there has been some evidence that the Feingold diet may help diminish symptoms of ADHD.

Since the diagnosis of ADHD has become so much more common in recent years, it is often that an older family member will get diagnosed while bringing their son or daughter in to get tested. This may provide some relief to individuals who weren’t sure exactly why they were the way they were, and explain some part of the individual’s life that did not make sense before. some of those diagnosed late may decide to go on medication upon diagnosis, while others may not.

If there are no other members of a family that have ADHD per se, there may be other similar disorders. although there is no formal link between autism and ADHD, there are similarities, and the two disorders tend to run together. Family background may include someone with autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, bipolar or OCD; these are mainly brain based disorders that have been loosely linked to ADHD and are sometimes co-morbid.

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