News & Headlines

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Collateral damage: Families of soldiers with PTSD struggle after Veterans Affairs counselling cut
CBC | Mar 2, 2020

'The department is disconnected from ... what goes on in injured veterans' households,' says one spouse

Are today’s military helmets better at preventing brain injury? Not always, study says
PBS Newshour | Feb 28, 2020

Your great-grandfather’s World War I helmet that’s stuffed in the back of the closet could be just as effective at preventing brain injury from some blasts as a modern-day military helmet, a recently published study from Duke University researchers suggests.

The sports world knows concussion can kill. So why does no one talk about it?
The Guardian | Feb 28, 2020

At the inquest into the death of Sydney boxer Davey Browne, journalist and boxer Stephanie Convery’s anger rose. The industry had failed to protect its own

Montreal researchers find fast, efficient way to test hockey players for concussion on the ice
CBC | Feb 28, 2020

Lead researcher says test, which allows players to stay laced up, may reduce under-reporting of symptoms.

‘No end in sight’: The lifetime commitment of caring for a loved one with a brain injury
CBC | Feb 27, 2020

"Caregivers themselves get ill, because caregiving is such a difficult job. And so [while] we're busy worrying about our patients, we have to make sure as therapists we look up and see the caregivers and their needs, too."

Australian Rules Football Confronts C.T.E.
The New York Times | Feb 27, 2020

For years, leaders of Australia’s national sport have tried to play down connections between their sport and degenerative brain diseases. Now one of the game’s legends was found to have had C.T.E.

'Shane Williams: Concussion, Rugby and Me' - new BBC One Wales documentary
BBC | Feb 26, 2020

Shane Williams knows himself about rugby union's concussion risks after his glittering career at the highest level - and now Wales' all-time leading try scorer is aiming to help the sport become safer.

Study Finds Century-Old Combat Helmet Is A Superior Shield Against Brain Trauma
NPR | Feb 26, 2020

In fact, a recent study done by a team of Duke University researchers finds that the 105-year-old "Adrian" helmet used by the French army in World War I can provide better blast protection than the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) widely used by the U.S. military.

In brains of dead athletes, researchers seek clues to head trauma
Reuters | Feb 21, 2020

Dr. Ann McKee of Boston University studies the brains of deceased football players at the world’s largest brain bank, hoping to learn about the long-term impact of repeated head traumas for people ranging from professional athletes to victims of domestic abuse.

There's More Than One Right Way to Treat PTSD in Veterans
Military.com | Feb 19, 2020

Recent media reports surrounding a study on military PTSD treatment highlight some important ongoing challenges -- but they don’t tell the whole story. And because of that, people could be getting the wrong message about effective care.

The unseen toll of traumatic brain injuries: One veteran asks, 'What if they could just cut my head off?'
CNN | Feb 18, 2020

When strangers approach Army veteran Elana Duffy to thank her for her sacrifice, she often tells them that the lasting impact of losing her leg does not compare to the daily pain she endures due to an injury invisible to the naked eye: a traumatic brain injury.

Brain Injuries Are Common in Battle. The Military Has No Reliable Test for Them.
The New York Times | Feb 18, 2020

Traumatic brain injury is a signature wound of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But the military still has no objective way of diagnosing it in the field.

Wounded Warrior Project: PTSD is treatable
Military Times | Feb 14, 2020

A recent study conducted by researchers at New York University and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has led many to believe the leading evidence-based psychotherapies for PTSD do not work for up to two-thirds of patients.

Our findings at Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) show very different results for veterans participating in our two- and three-week intensive outpatient programs (IOP) provided by our Warrior Care Network academic medical center (AMC) partners at Emory University, Massachusetts General Hospital, Rush University, and UCLA Health. They all use tailored combinations of evidence-based, complementary, and alternative therapies within the IOP.

He Was Fearless on a Football Field. It Was the Future That Scared Him.
The New York Times | Feb 13, 2020

In September 2018, just before senior day for college football, Evan Hansen opened his laptop and looked up C.T.E.

More Than 100 Troops Have Brain Injuries From Iran Missile Strike, Pentagon Says
The New York Times | Feb 12, 2020

The number of troops injured has steadily increased since the Jan. 8 attack.

Navy SEAL’s family pushes for recognition of traumatic brain injuries after son’s suicide
The Washington Post | Feb 10, 2020

Ryan Larkin’s repeated exposure to blast waves severely damaged his brain by causing microscopic tears in the tissue, internal lining and blood vessels.

House passes bill to allow VA to fund service dogs for veterans with PTSD
The Hill | Feb 10, 2020

The House passed a bill Wednesday that would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to begin a project connecting service dogs and veterans.

Exactly How Dangerous Is Football?
The New Yorker | Feb 3, 2020

Players, coaches, and parents must wrestle with a disturbing combination of hazard and uncertainty.

Why Collision and Concussion Are Sports’ Twin Dangers
The Washington Post | Feb 3, 2020

 The issue of long-lasting injuries, particularly concussion and its ramifications, looms ever larger for anyone looking to take up a contact sport, either as an amateur or a pro. 

Pentagon Now Says 50 Troops — Not 34 — Suffered Brain Injuries In Iran Strike
NPR | Jan 30, 2020

The number of U.S. service members diagnosed with traumatic brain injury after Iranian missile attacks earlier this month has risen to 50 — up from the 34 reported last week. 

Ex-England women’s footballer blames dementia on heading
BBC News | Jan 27, 2020

A pioneer of women's football has become the first female player to publicly blame her dementia on years of heading the ball.

Why traumatic brain injuries can be dangerous
CNN Health | Jan 27, 2020

Almost three dozen US service members were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries after the Iranian missile attack earlier this month, the Pentagon said Friday.

Traumatic brain injuries are serious. They're also on the rise.

Stopping concussions with head gear that isn't a helmet
CNET | Jan 27, 2020

VR tools can educate athletes on brain injuries and help others empathize with those experiencing symptoms, developers said.

Pentagon says 34 U.S. troops were diagnosed with brain injuries after Iranian missile attack
The Washington Post | Jan 24, 2020

The Pentagon said Friday that 34 U.S. service members were diagnosed with varying degrees of brain injuries after the Iranian ballistic missile attack in Iraq this month, upping the number of service members understood to be injured by explosions.

Trump Dismisses Troops’ Possible Brain Injuries as ‘Headaches’
The New York Times | Jan 23, 2020

The deputy commander of the American-led operation in Iraq said the Pentagon was putting service members through medical examinations to see if they had traumatic brain injuries.