Houston Matters

Football and Brain Damage: Is the NFL Doing Enough?

Posted on · Late last month, as Will Smith's film Concussion debuted in the theaters, ESPN’s Outside the Lines reported that supposedly the NFL backed out of giving “unrestricted” funds to the National Institutes of Health for a study exploring football’s relationship to brain damage because the league didn’t like the doctor who would lead it. We learn […]

Houston Matters

Do You Have a Concussion? There’s an App for That

Posted on · Growing concern about concussions has led to new rules in various sports, and a new movie starring Will Smith as a crusading doctor. But concussions are not easy injuries to treat – or even diagnose. David Eagleman, a neuroscientist at Houston's Baylor College of Medicine, has developed an iPad app called "BrainCheck." It uses research-backed […]

Houston Matters

Are Attitudes About Football Slowly Starting to Change?

Posted on · Last month, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Chris Borland abruptly announced his retirement from the NFL after just one season. He wasn't injured. He was, however, concerned about the long-term effects of repetitive brain trauma. With all that we know – and all that we don't know – about the physical and emotional toll exacted on […]