Friday, December 18, 2009

First Brain-Trauma Syndrome Reported in Hockey

Reggie Fleming, a former National Hockey League player who died earlier this year at 73, is the first deceased athlete in that sport to have Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) diagnosed in post-mortem brain studies.

Fleming’s brain was examined as part of a program spearheaded by the Sports Legacy Institute (http://sportslegacy.org). The institute was started by a World Wrestling Entertainment performer, Chris Nowinski, after the effects of repeated untreated concussions forced him to retire.

The New York Times article about Reggie Fleming is at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/sports/hockey/18concussion.html.


Irv Muchnick

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