Concussions: Fact v. Fiction

Fact vs Fiction
A publication of the
Concussions
Fact vs Fiction
Written by
Nicholas Staropoli
Research Associate, American Council on Science and Health
A publication of the
Concussions: Fact Versus Fiction. Copyright 2016 by

American Council on Science and Health. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any matter
whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief
quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For more
information, contact:
American Council on Science and Health
1995 Broadway, Suite 202
New York, New York 10023-5860
Tel. (212) 362-7044 Fax (212) 362-4919
URL: http://www.acsh.org Email: acsh@acsh.org
Publisher name: American Council on Science and Health
Title: Concussions: Fact Versus Fiction
Author: Nicholas Staropoli
Subject (general): Science and Health
Publication Year: 2016
Binding Type (i.e. perfect (soft) or hardcover): Perfect
ISBN: 978-0-9910055-4-3
Cover image credit to Shutterstock.
Acknowledgements
The American Council on Science and Health appreciates the
contributions of the reviewers named below:
Nigel Bark M.D.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Jonathan E. Howard M.D.
New York University Langone Medical Center
Hank Campbell
Josh Bloom Ph.D.
Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction
Table of Contents
Introduction - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1. What is a concussion? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8
2. Are concussions on the rise? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 10
3. Sideline tests - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 12
4. Helmets and sensors - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 16
5. Can concussions be prevented by rule changes, or better coaching,
training and education? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 18
6. Treatment options real or pseudoscience? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 20
7. How we look at concussions must change - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 22
Conclusion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 23
References - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 24
Jeb Putzier grew up in Eagle, Idaho, where he attended the Eagle High
School and lettered in both basketball and football. After graduating high
school, he attended nearby Boise State, where he was able to walk onto
the football team as a wide receiver. As a senior he converted to tight end
and set several school receiving records at the position. He was selected
on the first team in the All Western Athletic Conference and led the nation
in touchdowns at that position. After graduation, he was selected in the sixth
round of the National Football League (NFL) draft by the Denver Broncos.
Anyone who makes it into the NFL is elite, but even most avid fans
probably wont remember much about his career. Though he earned a
5-year $12.5 million from the Colorado franchise he didnt catch a tremendous number of passes and found the end zone only sporadically during
seven years in professional football. After being cut by Denver he played
in Houston and Seattle, but he never made a pro-bowl and never led the
league in any major category. However, there is one statistic in which Jeb
Putzier really does stand out: he sustained over one thousand concussions over his entire football career.
Concussion is a word that is on the mind of everyone in sports in 2015,
and with good reason: It is an injury to our most vital organ, the brain.
We as a society have become so concerned about injuries that 40 percent
of Americans wont let their children play football, a sentiment echoed
by President Obama. But its not just football where concussions are an
issue; most sports, at all levels, are studying how to reduce them.
Despite the growing attention, there is much yet to be learned about

concussion. Due to exaggerated claims (a company called CereScan says
they detected invisible injuries in Putzier, and for there to be 1,000
concussions in seven years, he has to have gotten one almost every day
of the season, including during training camps), what the public believes
about concussions is often far different than medical and scientific
thinking. In addition, some celebrities and sports stars have also contributed to the confusion of the public by pushing products with unsubstantiated benefits. Thus, we are starting to see the sales of devices such as impact
sensors, specialized helmets, and special healing chambers. Some of these
may be useful, but many will either be useless, dangerous, or both. Clearly,
marketers are trying to profit from raised awareness of concussions.
Some groups are advising caution regardless of the unclear state of
some of the science; in November of 2015, U.S. Soccer, the governing
body for the sport played by more than three million kids in the United
States, stated there should be no heading for any players age 10 and under.
How much caution is warranted? Thats a puzzle almost as complex as
concussions themselves.
What is a
Concussion?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is characterized by a violent movement
of the brain inside the cranium, which results in discernable changes
to the function of the brain without detectable changes to its structure.
Concussions are generally thought of as mild TBIs because they are not
life threatening, though as we have seen in athletes and others, they can
be severely life altering.
Julie Gilchrist, M.D., of the United States Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, defines a concussion as a change in the way the brain
functions, which can mean almost anything. To-date, there is no known
or detectable physical neurological abnormality in the brain that is
specific for a concussion.
Concussions cannot be diagnosed with any sort of scan (CT, MRI, X-Ray,
etc.) but the notion that they can persists among both the general public,
and physicians as well. The American Academy of Neurology guidelines
stated in 2013: CT imaging should not be used to diagnose [sport-related
concussions]. Nonetheless, one study found that athletes who were
brought to the hospital with a suspected concussion received a CT scan 75
percent of the time when examined by an emergency medicine physician
and 72 percent of the time when examined by a neurologist. However, it
is often necessary to preform a CT scan if the physician suspects or needs
to rule out other pathologies.
The lack of a definitive diagnostic technique leaves trainers, coaches,
and physicians who are trying to evaluate the severity of a head injury,
unable to definitively determine whether a concussion has occurred or

not. Worse still, concussion symptoms are variable, poorly understood,
and often nonspecific.
One of the universal beliefs about concussions is that they occur from
a direct blow to the head, however, concussions may occur in the absence
of this type of impact. Rather, any impact to the body that causes the
head and brain to move rapidly can cause a concussion, for example,
whiplash. Another common misconception is that a concussion must
involve a loss of consciousness and/or memory. However, according to
the CDC and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, less than
10 percent of concussion victims experience a loss of consciousness, and
only a third of victims exhibit memory loss.
The symptoms associated with having a concussion form a long
and diverse list. A concussed person may exhibit any or none of these
symptoms: inability to recall events prior to or after the impact, mood
behavior or personality changes; clumsiness and disorientation; problems
concentrating; nausea and vomiting; headaches; and light sensitivity. The
length of this list and the nonspecific nature of the symptoms, compound
the difficulty of diagnosing the condition. Even more confusing is that
concussed persons can often still walk, talk, and interact normally, partly
because symptoms of a concussion do not always appear immediately.
The public and many in the sports and medical communities look at concussions the same way they look at infectious diseases or cystic fibrosis, but
those conditions all those have a clear cut cause and diagnosis. Concussions
do not fit into this type of diagnostic box. Neurologist Dr. Uzma Samadani
says there are as many as 43 different definitions of a concussion.
Since no single test can definitively determine if a player has or has not
had a concussion, a concussion diagnosis is generally made by a physician
using multiple criteria, including symptoms, a neurological examination
(balance and coordination) and observations. Its difficult to make an
informed decision about a condition when there are so many gaps in our
knowledge, but the only safe choice is dont play sports, which is hardly
a quality recommendation when there are concerns that children are
involved in too few activities.
This document will address those concerns.
Are concussions on
the rise?
There is a near ubiquitous belief that concussions have been on the
rise in all contact sports for about a decade, both at the professional and
youth levels. There is also a perception that all levels of sports have become
more violent. This belief has many, particularly parents of youth sports
athletes, worried about the risks of their children participating in sports.
However, it is unclear whether concussions are actually increasing or if the
increased attention they are receiving is causing an increase in diagnoses.
Due to better diagnosis or more events, the literature is flush with
studies that report an increase in concussions in a variety of sports. An
estimated 62,000 concussions are sustained each year by college and
high school athletes each year in the United States. The Head Health
Management System reports that since 2002, concussions have doubled
in youth sports. They also note that girls soccer, boys hockey, and
lacrosse saw the largest increases. A study from the CDC reports that
emergency room visits by children and adolescents for concussion-like
symptoms rose 62% between 2001 and 2009.
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A study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine of youth sports in

Virginia over the 11-year period from 1997-2008, found that concussions
had risen four fold for the 12 sports studied. A study of 4,000 athletes
from 100 different schools, also published in American Journal of Sports
Medicine, concluded that from the 2005-06 school year to the 2011-12
school year concussions doubled. According to data from the England
Professional Rugby Injury Surveillance Project concussions in professional
Rugby had risen over 50 percent from 2008 to 2014, however during this
time period total injuries remained fairly constant.
That total injuries have remained rather constant may mean that
concussions are not really increasing. Anecdotally, we as a society are
more aware of concussions, which have led to coaches and parents
scrutinizing each physical contact. Many coaches are now required to
undergo training on how to handle athletes with concussions, a practice
uncommon a short time ago. According to the National Athletic Trainers
Association, secondary schools in the United States employing an athletic
trainer (AT) are also on the rise. In 2005, just 40 percent of secondary
school employed an AT, but today more than two thirds employ one.
All this extra attention on the athletes certainly inflates these rates by
catching instances that were missed in the past.
The definition of a concussion has also expanded, and many more
symptoms are now considered when deciding if an athlete is concussed. If
you go back a few decades, a player would only be considered concussed
if they were unconscious, otherwise it was just a ding. However, as mentioned above, we now know that only about 10 percent of concussions
render a person unconscious. The inclusion of other symptoms such as
mood and personality changes, light sensitivity, and memory loss, have all
contributed to the diagnosis of more concussions.
The increased attention society has given concussions, as well as the
expanding definition of the condition, are undoubtedly positive changes.
However this attention brings potential pitfalls as well. It has created the
11
perception that sports are more dangerous than they once were, which
has led some parents to stop enrolling their children in youth sports at
a time when concerns about obesity and physical activity are also on the
rise. A 2013 study found that pop-warner football enrollment was down
10 percent from 2010-2012 and according to the Sports & Fitness Industry
Association, participation in team sports among children aged 6 through
12 fell from 44.5 percent in 2008 to 40 percent in 2013.
Youth sports and other organized team activities offer a wide variety
of benefits to a childs health and development, so parents should not
look at the data that claim concussions are on the rise and assume this
means that sports are too dangerous for their child. Instead parents need
to realize that sports have always had risks, the same as they did when
parents were children. The difference now is that parents armed with
the necessary information so they can take the necessary precautions to
minimize these risks from impacting their children long term.
Next we need to examine how player impacts are sent for medical
follow-up.
Sideline tests
The sideline test is one the most important aspects of concussion
protocol. A good sideline test can help determine if a player is concussed
or if they are safe to return to the field. A bad one will mean immediate
referral and better chances for no long-term issues. Fortunately, we have
long evolved from the days of how many fingers am I holding up? to
12
determine if a player has experienced a concussion. Due to the increased

attention the condition has received, all sports leagues now use multi-faceted
sideline tests to help identify players who may have sustained a concussion.
The NFL uses a test derived from the Standardized Concussion
Assessment Test 2 (SCAT2) to asses injured players. The core parameters
of this test are memory and concentration. For example, players are given
a series of words and numbers, and asked to repeat them. They are also
tested for awareness through the use of questions such as, What month
is it? and What time is it right now? Players are scored on these sections
and their score is combined with other metrics, including a physical
examination, to determine if the player can return to play.
The SCAT2 test not without critics, though. Lawrence Jackson, a linebacker for the Detroit Lions, described earlier this year how he was able
to pass this sideline test only to later have physicians diagnose him with
a concussion. Jackson told ESPN, The test was pretty easy if you dont
have a significant concussion. It still is. They asked me what day it was,
approximately what time it was, what quarter we were in. They wanted
me to say the months backwards and a few other things. I got those right.
I didnt look disoriented, so they really didnt have any choice but to let me
go back in the game.
There is an even more compelling need for better diagnostic tests for
concussions. If an athlete sustains a second concussion before he or she
has fully healed from the first, they can develop a condition called second
impact syndrome (SIS), which causes rapid swelling of the brain and is fatal
about 50 percent of the time. A bit more on this would be useful since it is so
dramatic. How common is this really? How often do people die?
Another notable flaw in the test is that the score required to determine
whether an athlete concussed is uncertain. Data show a high degree of
variability of these scores among non-concussed athletes, particularly
on the concentration aspects of the test. These low scores from healthy
athletes devalue the low tests scores by possibly concussed athletes. To
13
get around this, athletes are often tested at the start of the season, called
their baseline score, and if their post-impact score is lower than baseline
it is assumed to be a sign of a concussion. This may sound intuitively
correct but the science is not adding up.
Falling below baseline scores as a measure of a concussion was
recently studied in popular diagnostic test called ImPACTthe test is
considered by experts to be merely a fancier version than the SCAT2. A
meta-analysis of the efficacy of the ImPACT found that the test incorrectly
diagnosed a concussion in an athlete 22-46 percent of the time.
Some critics of baseline analysis also claim that athletes are not sufficiently trustworthy during their baseline examination. There have been
reports of athletes attempting to artificially decrease their baseline score.
Other critics say that a long period of time between baseline and the
post-impact administration, the score may not be reliable; this might be
particularly for young people who can experience dramatic shifts in cognitive function from season start to finish.
Clinically and in practice, the King-Devick test (KD) has been shown
to be a better diagnostic measure than other sideline tests. The KD
test also analyzes other functions of the body known to be affected by
concussions: attention, concentration and rapid eye movement The KD
test consists of an athlete reading a series of numbers on a card that
are unequally spaced on several different lines. The athlete reads the
numbers left to right and the time it takes to do so is measured. This
is done three times, and each time the card is different, more difficult,
and requires more concentration from the player. A prolonged time to
complete the test, as compared to standard times, is indicative of a player
who may have a concussion. The increased difficulty of the KD test is likely
to prevent players like Lawrence Jackson from slipping through the cracks
after a collision, as he did with SCAT2.
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For example, a Mayo Clinic study that followed an Arizona youth

hockey league for a full season was found to be 100 percent accurate
in detecting concussions among the athletes. Another study of youth
football players yielded the same results. In a study of professional
hockey players, the KD test was able to diagnose concussions in a small
sample of athletes that the SCAT2 indicated had no concussion.
Although the KD test also relies on baseline testing to determine if an
athlete has sustained a concussion, it is harder for an athlete to fake the
baseline score. The test is not familiar nor does it rely on memory. The
scientific evidence to-date supports this tests superiority to other tests
and more teams should adapt this test.
15
Helmets and
Sensors
That concussions appear on brain scans is a popular misconception,
but an even more prevalent misconception is that helmets can prevent them.
There is no scientific evidence that helmets minimize the potential for a
concussion. Helmets do prevent life threatening injuries like skull fractures.
Yet one of the primary initiatives of the NFL regarding concussions has
been the development of better helmets that minimize the impact of hits
to the head. The league has invested millions of dollars in new helmet
development, and recently, along with the NFL Players Association, has
funded a study to test and rank new helmets based on safety data of
helmets that are used today. However, even the best of these helmets
only re-distributes the force of an impact evenly on the skull, it does not
stop a concussion.
The holy grail of concussion detection, in recent years, has been the
biomedical sensor, which can detect whether an athlete has experienced
an impact forceful enough to cause a concussion. Sensors have been
long sought after because it is otherwise all but impossible to keep track
of every hit a player takes, whereas a sensor in every players helmet
or mouth guard could alert officials when a player has sustained a hit
greater than a specified force. Both the U.S. military and professional
sports leagues have spent millions of dollars funding grants to encourage
research in this area.
Despite their promise, the use of sensors remains very controversial
and the sensors themselves have received a high degree of criticism. In
February of this year the NFL suspended a program to monitor impact
16
on players via sensors for many reasons. One being that some league
advisers dont believe the sensors can accurately gauge the force of each
impact. Another issue is that the data are slow to accumulate, which
creates a delay in alerting trainers. It also remains unclear exactly what
force is considered dangerous. And force is not the only metric that is a
concern. A recent study pointed out that the no sensors that currently
on the market could accurately assess angular hits, which are thought to
be the most dangerous type. The study also notes that sports in which
no helmets are used, such as soccer, where concussions are also very
common, helmet sensors would e of no use.
There are many league officials who support the sensor program, but
it has been revealed that some of them have conflicts of interest due to
being stakeholders in companies that make the sensors. Many colleges
use sensors, but their real utility is far from established.
17
Can concussions be
prevented by rule
changes, or better
coaching, training
and education?
Another strategy to limit concussions involves rule changes, particularly
at the youth level. One of these changes that has been discussed is eliminating the practice heading of soccer balls in the youth game. This change
has considerable support from USA Womens soccer heroes Brandi
Chastain and Cindy Parlow, which has led to the change in guidelines
for youth players mentioned in the opening. Experts also add this would
be particularly beneficial for girls because a girls neck muscles develop
more slowly, making their heads less able to withstand a head injury from
whiplash until they are more developed.
The idea of eliminating one aspect of the game is not revolutionary.
In youth hockey leagues around the world, body checking is not allowed
until pre-teen years at the earliest and Little League baseball has debated
banning curveballs for decades However, some data suggest that when
comparing hockey leagues that do and dont enforce this moratorium
on checks, there is no difference in the number of head injuries, and
light tackling by youth football players until they were much larger and
faster might mean more injuries due to inexperience than they would
have gotten in youth. For those reasons, eliminating heading in soccer
may not lead to decreases in head. Researchers looked at head injuries
18
in both sexes soccer and found that a only a few came from heading the
ball; the overwhelming majority have come from player-player contact.
Most soccer injuries are things like ankles and knees, not concussions.
Still, concussions will certainly not go up with heading removed from the
arsenal of techniques vulnerable brains use in the sport.
Though data are unclear and sometimes conflicting, steps are still
being taken. The NFL, for example, has implemented several new rules,
such as penalizing dangerous hits that target a players head or defenseless players and revamping the dangerous kick-off play. The results have
been encouraging. The number of concussions that have been sustained
in regular season games is down 35 percent since 2013, while dangerous
hits on defenseless receivers are down 68 percent over the same period!
Further investigations are needed to determine if rule changes in soccer
and hockey are an effective way to minimize concussions.
At the youth level, USA Football and the NFL have combined to create
the Heads Up Football (HUF) initiative and the program has demonstrated
considerable success in reducing concussions in young players. HUF is
an educational program that teaches coaches a variety of ways to reduce
concussions among their players. These include how to properly fit a
players equipment, how to detect the signs of a concussion, and how to
teach proper blocking and tackling techniques to better ensure player
safety. Since the programs inception one million players from over 6,000
organizations have participated in HUF. Compared to leagues without
HUF training, players with coaches that are HUF certified have 76 percent
fewer injuries, 34 percent fewer concussions in practices and 29 percent
fewer concussions in games.
These changes are dramatic and so there are calls for youth football
leagues around the country to adopt HUF policies and have their coaches
certified by HUF. But whether or not those kind of changes will migrate
to other sports is unclear. The subject should certainly be examined and
evaluated scientifically.
19
Treatment
options real or
pseudoscience?
Even the best preventive measures will only serve to reduce the
incidence of concussion. They will not eliminate them. The sports community leads in treatment for injuries because sports are lucrative for the
players and owners and enjoyed by participants. But when it comes to
concussions, treatment advances have not kept pace with diagnostics and
prevention. At this time, the only real treatment for concussions is rest
and management of symptoms, such as the use of acetaminophen for
headaches, a very 19th century approach to a 21st century problem. For
significant concussions, a physician may recommend a reduced workload
or school load, and concussion sufferers are advised to avoid intense
concentration or exertion, but this is far from revolutionary and serves to
further highlight the unmet medical need for concussion treatment.
There are several promising ideas that are being investigated. A preliminary study of the use of oral antioxidants showed promise in treating
concussion symptoms. Another group at Penn State is working on a
cooling helmet based on data that increased brain temperature renders
the brain vulnerable to additional injury.
Both are in the very early stages and as is often the case, pseudoscience treatments and outright quackery often fill the void. For example,
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson recently tweeted that
Recovery Water cured his concussion through their nanobubble technology. While Wilson may genuinely believe that, it has to be noted that he is
20
an investor in the company. He does concede that his claim is not backed
by real medical proof. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady
also once backed a similar drink.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is probably the most dangerous pseudoscience treatment for concussions because it has both pseudo-medical
and celebrity proponents. This procedure involves a patient entering a
chamber where he or she inhales 100 percent oxygen, which is claimed to
enhance the bodys natural healing powers. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
is approved by the FDA to treat 13 conditions, but not traumatic brain
injuries. The Federal Government funded three studies costing taxpayers $70 million, all of which concluded these chambers do not increase
recovery time or quality of recovery as compared to those who were
treated through rest. Whats worse is that currently a round of treatment
involves 40 visits and can cost a patient anywhere from $5,000 to $12,000.
This has not deterred proponents of the treatment. Former New York
Jets quarterback Joe Namath is very outspoken about his belief that the
treatment is curative. He underwent 120 sessions and claimed that it
cured him of the concussions he sustained during his career. Namath has
also spent $10 million of his own money to prove the technique has benefits
and a clinic in Florida now bears his name in recognition of the support hes
given to the treatment regimen. Other proponents, including some physicians, are also intensely lobbying congress to fund more studies.
The situation with concussion treatments is similar to the supplement industry, where the government does not require proof of efficacy
provided they use clever language to avoid appearing to be medical.
Currently, no science exists that suggests special drinks or chambers work
any better than simple rest so none of these products should be allowed
to suggest otherwise.
21
How we look at
concussions must
change
Though the landscape for prevention and diagnosis of concussions
has exploded during the past five years, there remains a long way to go.
Though results are inconclusive and/or questionable today, there remains
hope that investments in basic research and technology will lead to
revolutions in diagnostics, prevention and even treatments.
We also need to change the way we see concussions as a society. For
too long, American culture has mocked or downplayed concussions and
head injuries in general. This attitude appears in several forms, such as
the NFL profiting off videos of skull-crushing hits and Denver Broncos
quarterback Peyton Manning on Saturday Night Live joking about being
hit in the head a lot. When we as a society marginalize these injuries it
manifests in dangerous ways. For example, a study recently found that 75
percent of surveyed rugby players said they would continue playing in a
game even if they knew they had a concussion. Another found that a third
of high school football players felt they had sustained a concussion but
did not seek medical help.
Concussions in our society are still not regarded with the same concern
as other neurological disorders, and this leads our athletes, particularly
the young ones, to not take them seriously. In effect, society has fostered
the mentality that concussions are an inevitable part of sports. If we want
to mitigate this serious but often-overlooked injury, we dont just need to
advance our technology, we need to advance the way we think and talk
about it as well.
22
Conclusion
Throughout the last decade, concussions have received a tremendous
amount of attention by the media, sports leagues, the medical community
and the parents of young athletes. This has led to much confusion on
what a concussion is, how it is diagnosed is and how to prevent them.
Because of this new focus, our understanding of the condition has
greatly improved, however there is still much to be done. The future may
bring new advances in biosensors, helmets and diagnostic tests but in
the meantime efforts to reduce the impact of concussions on athletes
and society should focus on rule changes, behavior changes, improved
coaching and education, incorporating the KD test into sideline protocols
and governmental crackdown on treatments that lack legitimate science.
Until then, the benefits of sports are enormous; life is not risk free.
This paper shows how the risks of concussion can be reduced. Let your
kids play but make sure what can be done to prevent concussion is being
done and if there is any possibility they might be concussed make sure
they stop playing and rest.
23
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24
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28
ACSH
EXECUTIVE TEAM
Hank Campbell
President
Gilbert Ross, M.D.
Senior Director of Medicine and
Public Health
Josh Bloom, Ph.D.

Director of Chemical and
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Cheryl Martin
Director of Development
Erik Lief
Director of Communications
Board of Trustees
Chairman
VICE CHAIRMAN
PRESIDENT
Nigel Bark, M.D.

Stephen Modzelewski
Maple Engine LLC
Hank Campbell
President, ACSH
Members
James E. Enstrom, Ph.D., M.P.H.
University of California, Los Angeles
Thom Golab
Media Research Center
Daniel T. Stein, M.D.

Jack C. Fisher, M.D., F.A.C.S.

University of California, San Diego,
Emeritus
Herbert I. London, Ph.D.

London Center for Policy Research
Stephen T. Whelan
Blank Rome LLP
Fred L. Smith, Jr.

Competitive Enterprise Institute
Founders Circle
Elizabeth M. Whelan, Sc.D., M.P.H.
(1943-2014)
(Years of Service to ACSH: 19782014)
Founder and President, ACSH
Norman E. Borlaug, Ph.D.

(1914-2009)
Father of the Green Revolution
Nobel Laureate
Fredrick J. Stare, M.D., Ph.D.

(1910-2002)
Founder, Harvard Department of
Nutrition
Board of Scientific and policy advisors

Ernest L. Abel, Ph.D.
C.S. Mott Center
William S. Bickel, Ph.D.

University of Arizona
David A. Christopher, Ph.D.

University of Hawaii at Mnoa
Seymour Diamond, M.D.

Diamond Headache Clinic
Gary R. Acuff, Ph.D.

Texas A&M University
Steven Black, M.D.

Cincinnati Childrens Health
Medical Center
Emil William Chynn, M.D.

New York Eye and Ear
Infirmary
Ralph Dittman, M.D., M.P.H.

Houston, TX
Blaine L. Blad, Ph.D.

Kanosh, UT
F. M. Clydesdale, Ph.D.
University of Massachusetts
Hinrich L. Bohn, Ph.D.

Donald G. Cochran, Ph.D.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and
State University
Casimir C. Akoh, Ph.D.

University of Georgia
Peter C. Albertsen, M.D.
University of Connecticut
Julie A. Albrecht, Ph.D.
University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Philip Alcabes, Ph.D.
Hunter College, CUNY
James E. Alcock, Ph.D.
Glendon College, York
University (Canada)
Ben Bolch, Ph.D.

Rhodes College
Joseph F. Borzelleca, Ph.D.
Medical College of Virginia
Michael K. Botts, Esq.
Alexandria, VA
Thomas S. Allems, M.D.,

M.P.H.
San Francisco, CA
George A. Bray, M.D.

Pennington Biomedical
Research Center
Richard G. Allison, Ph.D.

Federation of American
Societies for Experimental
Biology
Ronald W. Brecher, Ph.D.,

C.Chem., DABT, QPRA
MTE/GlobalTox (Canada)
John B. Allred, Ph.D.

Ohio State University
Karl E. Anderson, M.D.
University of Texas, Medical
Branch
Jerome C. Arnet, Jr., M.D.
Helvetia, WV
Dennis T. Avery
Hudson Institute
Ronald Bachman, M.D.
Kaiser Permanente Medical
Center
David A. Baker, M.D.
Stony Brook University Medical
School
Robert S. Baratz, D.D.S., Ph.D.,
M.D.
International Medical
Consultation Services
Stephen Barrett, M.D.
Pittsboro, NC
Thomas G. Baumgartner,
Pharm.D., M.Ed.
Consultant Pharmacists of
America
W. Lawrence Beeson, Dr.P.H.
Loma Linda University
Elissa P. Benedek, M.D.
University of Michigan Medical
School
Alex B. Berezow, Ph.D.
Real Clear Science
Sir Colin Berry, D.Sc., Ph.D.,
M.D.
Pathological Institute, Royal
London Hospital (United
Kingdom)
Allan Brett, M.D.

University of South Carolina
Kenneth G. Brown, Ph.D.
Kbinc
Christine M. Bruhn, Ph.D.
University of California
Gale A. Buchanan, Ph.D.
Edward E. Burns, Ph.D.
Francis F. Busta, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota
Elwood F. Caldwell, Ph.D.,
M.B.A.
Zerle L. Carpenter, Ph.D.
Texas A&M University System
Robert G. Cassens, Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin,
Madison
Ercole L. Cavalieri, D.Sc.
University of Nebraska Medical
Center
Russell N. A. Cecil, M.D.,
Ph.D.
Albany Medical College
Rino Cerio, M.D.
Barts and The London Hospital
Institute of Pathology (United
Kingdom)
Sam K. C. Chang, Ph.D.
Mississippi State University
Bruce M. Chassy, Ph.D.
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign
W. Ronnie Coffman, Ph.D.

Cornell University
John J. Cohrssen, Esq.
Arlington, VA
Gerald F. Combs, Jr., Ph.D.
USDA Grand Forks Human
Nutrition Center
Gregory Conko, J.D.
Competitive Enterprise
Institute
Michael D. Corbett, Ph.D.
Omaha, NE
Morton Corn, Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University
Nancy Cotugna, Dr.Ph., R.D.,
C.D.N.
University of Delaware
H. Russell Cross, Ph.D.
William J. Crowley, Jr., M.D.,
M.B.A.
Spicewood, TX
James W. Curran, M.D.,
M.P.H.
Rollins School of Public Health,
Emory University
Charles R. Curtis, Ph.D.
Jerry M. Cuttler, DSc., PEng.
Cuttler & Associates Inc.
Taiwo K. Danmola, C.P.A.
Ernst & Young
Ilene R. Danse, M.D.
Bolinas, CA
Sherrill Davison, V.M.D., M.D.,
M.B.A.
University of Pennsylvania
Peter C. Dedon, M.D., Ph.D.
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
Thomas R. DeGregori, Ph.D.
University of Houston
Elvira G. de Mejia, Ph.D.
Urbana-Champaign
Merle L. Diamond, M.D.
Diamond Headache Clinic
John E. Dodes, D.D.S.

National Council Against Health
Fraud
John Doull, M.D., Ph.D.
University of Kansas
Theron W. Downes, Ph.D.
Seneca, SC
Michael P. Doyle, Ph.D.
Adam Drewnowski, Ph.D.
University of Washington
Michael A. Dubick, Ph.D.
U.S. Army Institute of Surgical
Research
Greg Dubord, M.D., M.P.H.
Toronto Center for Cognitive
Therapy (Canada)
Edward R. Duffie, Jr., M.D.
Savannah, GA
Leonard J. Duhl. M.D.
University of California,
Berkeley
David F. Duncan, Dr.Ph.
Duncan & Associates
James R. Dunn, Ph.D.
Averill Park, NY
John Dale Dunn, M.D., J.D.
Carl R. Darnall Hospital, Fort
Hood, TX
Herbert L. DuPont, M.D.
St. Lukes Episcopal Hospital
Robert L. DuPont, M.D.
Institute for Behavior and
Health, Inc.
Michael W. Easley, D.D.S.,
M.P.H.
International Health
Management & Research
Associates
George E. Ehrlich, M.D.,
F.A.C.P., M.A.C.R., FRCP (Edin)
Philadelphia, PA
Michael P. Elston, M.D., M.S.
Rapid City, SD
William N. Elwood, Ph.D.
NIH/Center for Scientific
Review
Edward A. Emken, Ph.D.
Midwest Research Consultants
Nicki J. Engeseth, Ph.D.
University of Illinois

(continued)
Rene M. Goodrich, Ph.D.
University of Florida
James D. Herbert, Ph.D.

Drexel University
Michael Kirsch, M.D.

Highland Heights, OH
Frederick K. Goodwin, M.D.

The George Washington
University Medical Center
Theodore R. Holford, Ph.D.

Yale University School of
Medicine
John C. Kirschman, Ph.D.

Allentown, PA
Timothy N. Gorski, M.D.,

F.A.C.O.G.
University of North Texas
Robert M. Hollingworth,
Ph.D.
Michigan State University
Ronald E. Gots, M.D., Ph.D.

International Center for Toxicology
and Medicine
Edward S. Horton, M.D.

Joslin Diabetes Center/Harvard
Medical School
Henry G. Grabowski, Ph.D.

Duke University
Joseph H. Hotchkiss, Ph.D.

Cornell University
Richard S. Fawcett, Ph.D.

Huxley, IA
James Ian Gray, Ph.D.

Frederick L. Ferris III, M.D.

National Eye Institute
William W. Greaves, M.D.,

M.S.P.H.
Medical College of Wisconsin
Clifford A. Hudis, MD.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer
Center
Stephen K. Epstein, M.D.,

M.P.P., FACEP
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical
Center
Terry D. Etherton, Ph.D.
Pennsylvania State University
R. Gregory Evans, Ph.D.,
M.P.H.
St. Louis University Center for
the Study of Bioterrorism and
Emerging Infections
Daniel F. Farkas, Ph.D., M.S.,
P.E.
Oregon State University
David N. Ferro, Ph.D.

Madelon L. Finkel, Ph.D.
Cornell University Medical
College
Leonard T. Flynn, Ph.D.,
M.B.A.
Morganville, NJ
William H. Foege, M.D.,
M.P.H.
Seattle, WA
Christopher H. Foreman,
Jr., Ph.D.
University of Maryland
Laura C. Green, Ph.D.,

D.A.B.T.
Cambridge Environmental, Inc.
Peter Barton Hutt, Esq.

Covington & Burling, LLP
Susanne L. Huttner, Ph.D.
KE Squared
Alan R. Kristal, Dr.P.H.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center
F. Peter Guengerich, Ph.D.

Vanderbilt University School of
Medicine
Rudolph J. Jaeger, Ph.D.

Environmental Medicine, Inc.
Mitzi R. Krockover, M.D.

SSB Solutions
William T. Jarvis, Ph.D.

Loma Linda University
Manfred Kroger, Ph.D.

Carolyn J. Lackey, Ph.D., R.D.
North Carolina State University
Caryl J. Guth, M.D.

Advance, NC
David J. Hanson, Ph.D.

State University of New York,
Potsdam
Elizabeth H. Jeffery, P.h.D.

Urbana-Champaign
Terryl J. Hartman, Ph.D.,

M.P.H., R.D.
Geoffrey C. Kabat, Ph.D.

Albert Einstein College of
Medicine
Clare M. Hasler, Ph.D.

The Robert Mondavi Institute
of Wine and Food Science,
University of California, Davis
Michael Kamrin, Ph.D.

K. H. Ginzel, M.D.
University of Arkansas for
Medical Sciences
William Paul Glezen, M.D.
Baylor College of Medicine
Jay A. Gold, M.D., J.D., M.P.H.
Medical College of Wisconsin
Roger E. Gold, Ph.D.
Kathryn M. Kolasa, Ph.D.,

R.D.
East Carolina University
Alejandro R. Jadad, M.D.,

D.Phil., F.R.C.P.C.
University of Toronto (Canada)
Glenn W. Froning, Ph.D.

J. Bernard L. Gee, M.D.

Medicine
David M. Klurfeld, Ph.D.

U.S. Department of Agriculture
Gordon W. Gribble, Ph.D.

Dartmouth College
Michele Jay-Russell, D.V.M.,

M.P.V.M., Ph.D.
William G. Gaines, Jr., M.D.,

M.P.H.
Scott & White Clinic
Leslie M. Klevay, M.D., S.D.

in Hyg.
University of North Dakota
School of Medicine and Health
Sciences
James S. Koopman, M.D,

M.P.H.
University of Michigan School of
Public Health
Philip S. Guzelian, M.D.

University of Colorado
Shayne C. Gad, Ph.D., D.A.B.T.,

A.T.S.
Gad Consulting Services
Ronald E. Kleinman, M.D.

Massachusetts General
Hospital/Harvard Medical
School
Lucien R. Jacobs, M.D.

University of California, Los
Angeles
Sander Greenland, Dr.P.H.,

M.A.
UCLA School of Public Health
Shawn N. Fraser, Ph.D.

Athabasca University (Canada)
Robert S. Gable, Ed.D., Ph.D.,

J.D.
Claremont Graduate University
William M. P. Klein, Ph.D.

University of Pittsburgh
Virgil W. Hays, Ph.D.

University of Kentucky
Clark W. Heath, Jr., M.D.
American Cancer Society
John B. Kaneene, Ph.D., M.P.H.,

D.V.M.
P. Andrew Karam, Ph.D., CHP
MJW Corporation
Dwight B. Heath, Ph.D.

Brown University
Mark A. Katchen, M.S., M.B.A.,

C.I.H.
The Phylmar Group
Robert Heimer, Ph.D.

Yale School of Public Health
Kathryn E. Kelly, Dr.P.H.

Delta Toxicology
Robert B. Helms, Ph.D.

American Enterprise Institute
Robert D. Kerns, Ph.D.

Medicine
Zane R. Helsel, Ph.D.

Rutgers University, Cook
College
George A. Keyworth II, Ph.D.

Carmel, CA
J. Clayburn LaForce, Ph.D.

University of California, Los
Angeles
Robert G. Lahita, M.D., Ph.D.
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
James C. Lamb, IV, Ph.D., J.D.
Exponent
William E. M. Lands, Ph.D.
College Park, MD
Brian A. Larkins, Ph.D.
Larry Laudan, Ph.D.
National Autonomous
University of Mexico (Mexico)
Tom B. Leamon, Ph.D.
Liberty Mutual Insurance
Company
Jay H. Lehr, Ph.D.
Environmental Education
Enterprises, Inc.
Brian C. Lentle, M.D., FRCPC,
DMRD
University of British Columbia
(Canada)

(continued)
Scott O. Lilienfeld, Ph.D.
Emory University
A. Alan Moghissi, Ph.D.

Institute for Regulatory Science
Floy Lilley, J.D.

Fernandina Beach, FL
Grace P. Monaco, J.D.

Medical Care Ombudsman
Program
William M. London, Ed.D.,

M.P.H.
California State University, Los
Angeles
William M. Lunch, Ph.D.
Daryl Lund, Ph.D.
Madison
John Lupien, M.Sc.
Janet E. Macheledt, M.D.,
M.S., M.P.H.
Houston, TX
Brian E. Mondell, M.D.

Baltimore Headache Institute
John W. Morgan, Dr.P.H.
California Cancer Registry
Stephen J. Moss, D.D.S., M.S.
New York University College of
Dentistry
Brooke T. Mossman, Ph.D.
University of Vermont College
of Medicine
Peter W. Mullen, Ph.D.,
FCSFS
Kemic Bioresearch
Karl Maramorosch, Ph.D.

Rutgers University, Cook
College
Allison A. Muller, Pharm.D.

Institute for Continuing
Healthcare Education
Judith A. Marlett, Ph.D., R.D.

Madison
Harris M. Nagler, M.D.

Beth Israel Medical Center/
Albert Einstein College of
Medicine
Lawrence J., Marnett, Ph.D.

Vanderbilt University
James R. Marshall, Ph.D.
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Roger O. McClellan, D.V.M.,
M.M.S., D.A.B.T., D.A.B.V.T.,
F.A.T.S.
Albuquerque, NM
Mary H. McGrath, M.D.,
M.P.H.
University of California, San
Francisco
Alan G. McHughen, D.Phil.
Riverside
James D. McKean, D.V.M., J.D.
Iowa State University
Joseph P. McMenamin, M.D.,
J.D.
McGuireWoods, LLP
Patrick J. Michaels, Ph.D.
Cato Institute
Thomas H. Milby, M.D.,
M.P.H.
Boise, ID
Joseph M. Miller, M.D., M.P.H.
Durham, NH
Richard A. Miller, M.D.
Principia Biopharma, Inc.
Daniel J. Ncayiyana, M.D.

Benguela Health (South Africa)
Philip E. Nelson, Ph.D.
Purdue University
Joyce A. Nettleton, D.Sc., R.D.
Denver, CO
John S. Neuberger, Dr.P.H.
University of Kansas School of
Medicine
Stanley T. Omaye, Ph.D.,

F.A.T.S., F.ACN, C.N.S.
University of Nevada, Reno
Bill D. Roebuck, Ph.D.,

D.A.B.T.
Dartmouth Medical School
Michael W. Pariza, Ph.D.

Madison
Donald R. Rogers, M.D.

Retired, Medical Examiner and
Pathologist,
Stuart Patton, Ph.D.

David B. Roll, Ph.D.

Colleyville, TX
James Marc Perrin, M.D.

Mass General Hospital for
Children
Dale R. Romsos, Ph.D.

Jay Phelan, M.D.

Wyle Integrated Science and
Engineering Group
Timothy Dukes Phillips, Ph.D.
Steven T. Rosen, M.D.

Northwestern University
Medical School
David R. Pike, Ph.D.

Champaign, IL
Stanley Rothman, Ph.D.

Smith College
Steven Pinker, Ph.D.

Harvard University
Stephen H. Safe, D.Phil.

Henry C. Pitot, M.D., Ph.D.

Madison
Wallace I. Sampson, M.D.

Stanford University School of
Medicine
Thomas T. Poleman, Ph.D.

Cornell University
Mark Jason Sanders, M.D.

University of Texas Medical
School
Gary P. Posner, M.D.

Plant City, FL
John J. Powers, Ph.D.
William D. Powrie, Ph.D.
University of British Columbia
(Canada)
C.S. Prakash, Ph.D.
Tuskegee University
Thomas Nicholson, Ph.D.,

M.P.H.
Western Kentucky University
Marvin P. Pritts, Ph.D.

Cornell University
Albert G. Nickel
LyonHeart (ret.)
Daniel J. Raiten, Ph.D.

National Institutes of Health
Theresa A. Nicklas, Dr.P.H.,

M.P.H.
Childrens Nutrition Research
Center Baylor College of
Medicine
David W. Ramey, D.V.M.

Ramey Equine Group
Robert J. Nicolosi, Ph.D.

University of Massachusetts,
Lowell
James L. Oblinger, Ph.D.
North Carolina State University
Kenneth Offit, M.D., M.P.H.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Cancer Center
Richard K. Miller, Ph.D.

University of Rochester
John Patrick OGrady, M.D.

Tufts University School of
Medicine
William J. Miller, Ph.D.

James E. Oldfield, Ph.D.

Joseph D. Rosen, Ph.D.

Cook College, Rutgers
University
R.T. Ravenholt, M.D., M.P.H.

Population Health Imperatives
Russel J. Reiter, Ph.D.
University of Texas, San
Antonio
William Reville, Ph.D.
University College Cork
(Ireland)
Donald R. Roberts, Ph.D.
The Uniformed Services
University of the Health
Sciences
J. D. Robinson, M.D.
Georgetown University School
of Medicine
Brad Rodu, D.D.S.
University of Louisville
Harold H. Sandstead, M.D.

University of Texas Medical
Branch
Charles R. Santerre, Ph.D.
Purdue University
Lowell D. Satterlee, Ph.D.
Vergas, MN
Mark V. Sauer, M.D.
Columbia University
Jeffrey W. Savell, Ph.D.
Marvin J. Schissel, D.D.S.
Roslyn Heights, NY
David Schottenfeld, M.D.,
M.Sc.
University of Michigan
Joel M. Schwartz, M.S.
Reason Public Policy Institute
David E. Seidemann, Ph.D.
Brooklyn College/Yale
University
David Seres, M.D., ScM., PNS.
Columbia University Medical
Center
David A. Shaywitz, M.D.,
Ph.D.
Theravance, Inc.
Patrick J. Shea, Ph.D.

(continued)
Michael B. Shermer, Ph.D.
Skeptic Magazine
Sarah Short, Ph.D., Ed.D., R.D.
Syracuse University
A. J. Siedler, Ph.D.
Urbana-Champaign
James H. Steele, D.V.M.,

M.P.H.
University of Texas, Houston
Robert D. Steele, Ph.D.
Judith S. Stern, Sc.D., R.D.
Shashi B. Verma, Ph.D.

Willard J. Visek, M.D., Ph.D.
University of Illinois College of
Medicine
Lynn Waishwell, Ph.D., CHES
University of Medicine and
Dentistry of New Jersey, School
of Public Health
Marc K. Siegel, M.D.

New York University School of
Medicine
Stephen S. Sternberg, M.D.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Cancer Center
Michael Siegel, M.D., M.P.H.

Boston University School of
Pubic Health
Ronald D. Stewart, O.C.,

M.D., FRCPC
Dalhousie University (Canada)
Lee M. Silver, Ph.D.

Princeton University
Martha Barnes Stone, Ph.D.

Colorado State University
Michael S. Simon, M.D.,

M.P.H.
Wayne State University
Jon A. Story, Ph.D.

Purdue University
Miles Weinberger, M.D.

University of Iowa Hospitals
and Clinics
Sita R. Tatini, Ph.D.

John Weisburger, Ph.D.

New York Medical College
Dick Taverne
House of Lords, United
Kingdom
Janet S. Weiss, M.D.

The ToxDoc
S. Fred Singer, Ph.D.

Science & Environmental Policy
Project
Robert B. Sklaroff, M.D.
Philadelphia, PA
Anne M. Smith, Ph.D., R.D.,
L.D.
Gary C. Smith, Ph.D.
John N. Sofos, Ph.D.
Laszlo P Somogyi, Ph.D.
SRI International (ret.)
Roy F. Spalding, Ph.D.
Leonard T. Sperry, M.D.,
Ph.D.
Florida Atlantic University
Robert A. Squire, D.V.M.,
Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University
Ronald T. Stanko, M.D.
University of Pittsburgh
Medical Center
Steve L. Taylor, Ph.D.

Lorraine Thelian
Ketchum, Inc.
Kimberly M. Thompson, Sc.D.
Harvard School of Public
Health
Andrea D. Tiglio, Ph.D., J.D.
Townsend and Townsend and
Crew, LLP
James E. Tillotson, Ph.D.,
M.B.A.
Tufts University
Dimitrios Trichopoulos, M.D.
Harvard School of Public
Health
Robert P. Upchurch, Ph.D.
Mark J. Utell, M.D.
University of Rochester
Medical Center
James K. Womack, Jr.

North Carolina Mining &
Energy Commission
James J. Worman, Ph.D.
Rochester Institute of
Technology
Russell S. Worrall, O.D.
Berkeley
Anne M. Wallace, M.D.

University of California, San
Diego
S. Stanley Young, Ph.D.

National Institute of Statistical
Science
Brian Wansink, Ph.D.

Cornell University
Steven H. Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D.

The University of North
Carolina
Michael B. Zemel, Ph.D.
Nutrition Institute, University
of Tennessee
Ekhard E. Ziegler, M.D.
University of Iowa
Simon Wessely, M.D., FRCP

Kings College London and
Institute of Psychiatry (United
Kingdom)
Steven D. Wexner, M.D.
Cleveland Clinic Florida
Joel Elliot White, M.D.,
F.A.C.R.
Danville, CA
John S. White, Ph.D.
White Technical Research
Kenneth L. White, Ph.D.
Utah State University
Robert J. White, M.D., Ph.D.
Shaker Heights, OH
Carol Whitlock, Ph.D., R.D.
Rochester Institute of
Technology
Christopher F. Wilkinson,
Ph.D.
Wilmington, NC
Mark L. Willenbring, M.D.
Saint Paul. MN
The opinions expressed in ACSH publications do not necessarily represent the views of
all members of the ACSH Board of Trustees, Founders Circle and Board of Scientific and
Policy Advisors, who all serve without compensation.
Concussions used to be considered "part of doing business"

for those who participated in sports at all levels. The idea of
"shaking it o and getting back in there" was so deeply
ingrained in our sports culture that it was often seen as a sign
of commitment to the team. Yet during recent decades,
evidence of irreversible brain injury began piling up, showing
that concussions were not a relatively benign side eect of
sports, but were life-altering, and sometimes fatal injuries
that had been underestimated for years. In this book, the
American Council on Science and Health examines changes in
the awareness, prevention, and treatment of an injury that is
becoming more and more recognized as the serious health
threat that it is.
The American Council on Science and Health is a consumer
education consortium concerned with issues related to food,
nutrition, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, lifestyle, the
environment and health. It was founded in 1978 by a group of
scientists concerned that many important public policies
related to health and the environment did not have a sound
scientic basis. These scientists created the organization to
add reason and balance to debates about public health issues
and bring common sense views to the public.
Science. Not Hype.

1995 Broadway, Suite 202
New York, New York 10023-5882
Tel. (212) 362-7044 Fax (212) 362-4919
www.acsh.org acsh@acsh.org

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Fact vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Versus Fiction. Copyright 2016 by

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Despite the growing attention, there is much yet to be learned about

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

unable to definitively determine whether a concussion has occurred or

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

A study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine of youth sports in

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

determine if a player has experienced a concussion. Due to the increased

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

For example, a Mayo Clinic study that followed an Arizona youth

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Concussions: Fact Vs Fiction

Josh Bloom, Ph.D.

Nigel Bark, M.D.

Daniel T. Stein, M.D.

Jack C. Fisher, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Herbert I. London, Ph.D.

Fred L. Smith, Jr.

Norman E. Borlaug, Ph.D.

Fredrick J. Stare, M.D., Ph.D.

Board of Scientific and policy advisors

William S. Bickel, Ph.D.

David A. Christopher, Ph.D.

Seymour Diamond, M.D.

Gary R. Acuff, Ph.D.

Steven Black, M.D.

Emil William Chynn, M.D.

Ralph Dittman, M.D., M.P.H.

Blaine L. Blad, Ph.D.

Hinrich L. Bohn, Ph.D.

Donald G. Cochran, Ph.D.

Casimir C. Akoh, Ph.D.

Ben Bolch, Ph.D.

Thomas S. Allems, M.D.,

George A. Bray, M.D.

Richard G. Allison, Ph.D.

Ronald W. Brecher, Ph.D.,

John B. Allred, Ph.D.

Allan Brett, M.D.

W. Ronnie Coffman, Ph.D.

John E. Dodes, D.D.S.

Board of Scientific and policy advisors

James D. Herbert, Ph.D.

Michael Kirsch, M.D.

Frederick K. Goodwin, M.D.