News & Headlines

UFC legend Ronda Rousey is scheduled to face Gina Carano on 16 May in California. Both women have been long retired and will undergo stricter "neurological and concussion" medical tests before they are cleared to return to MMA. Rousey has spoken at length about serious concussion problems throughout her athletic career and said it contributed to her decision to retire from MMA 10 years ago so is her return a good thing for her and the sport?

Touching the lives of an average 110 people each day in Aotearoa, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is much more common than any of us would like it to be.

Yet it is often misunderstood, underestimated and too easily dismissed as someone else’s problem.

An explosion does not need to strike the head to injure the brain. When a blast occurs, it generates a sudden pressure wave that can pass through the body and skull in milliseconds, potentially deforming brain tissue and blood vessels along the way.

For soldiers exposed to improvised explosive devices or other blasts, and civilians caught in industrial accidents or explosions in conflict zones, the neurological effects can be long-lasting – even when brain scans appear normal.

Psychologist George Bonanno says we have overestimated the debilitating power of post-traumatic stress disorder and underestimated our resilience.

You might think a healthy brain starts and ends in your head – but there are miles and miles of neuron fibers that connect your brain with nearly every corner of your body. Why a healthy brain needs a healthy body.

In their day-to-day work, first responders – including police, firefighters, paramedics and lifesavers – often witness terrible things happening to other people, and may be in danger themselves.

For some people, this can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which usually involves intrusive memories and flashbacks, negative thoughts and emotions, feeling constantly on guard, and avoiding things that remind them of the trauma.

But our research – which tested a mobile app focused on building resilience with firefighters – shows PTSD isn’t inevitable. We found depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms were less likely when firefighters used a mental health program that was self-led, specifically addressed trauma and focused on teaching practical skills.

Each year, about two million children, many while playing organized sports, suffer concussions. But, according to concussions researcher Jaclyn Stephens, an occupational therapist and associate professor in the Department of Health and Exercise Science at Colorado State University, parents and coaches don’t always know how to recognize and respond to them.

Stephens teamed up with other experts around the world to issue an easy guide on concussions.

For me, the biggest takeaway was simple. For the first time in a long time, I felt hopeful. That alone made it easier to keep going.

When a senior coroner declared on Monday that repeatedly heading footballs is "likely" to have contributed to the brain disease which was a factor in the death of former Leeds United and Manchester United defender Gordon McQueen, the relationship between heading and neurodegenerative illnesses was thrust into the spotlight again.

Veterans keep fighting long after the uniform comes off. Some battles unfold in families, careers and friendships. Others stay locked inside the mind.

Sheepdog, a new independent film, brings those unseen struggles into the open and refuses to leave them there.