New report from VA-Boston University-Concussion Legacy Foundation Brain Bank marks 1,000 brain donations milestone with inside look at CTE research

Report reveals never-before-seen donor demographics, new testimonials from donor family members including Dwayne Johnson, provides roadmap for future

(BOSTON) – Research collaborators from the VA, Boston University (BU), and the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) published an inspiring new report today, “1,000 Reasons for Hope,” which exclusively details the first 1,000 brain donors studied at the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank since 2008 and how they have advanced research on concussions and CTE. The report also explains how the next 1,000 brain donors will answer critical questions that take us closer to preventing, diagnosing, and treating CTE, as well as the long-term consequences of concussion and traumatic brain injury.

“Our understanding of CTE is far behind that of other neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer’s Disease and ALS,” said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank. “Each case we have the honor to study accelerates the science of CTE. Thanks to our Legacy Donors, incredible team and growing national and international collaborations, we are now on the cusp of major breakthroughs.”

“Thanks to our Legacy Donors and their families, as well as our incredible research team, we now have a roadmap for how to diagnose and treat CTE during life,” said Chris Nowinski, PhD, CLF co-founder and CEO. “Our discoveries have already inspired changes to sports that will prevent many future cases of CTE in the next generation of athletes.”

Newly released data found only in “1,000 Reasons for Hope” shows the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank has received tissue from donors who died as young as age 14 and as old as age 98, with more than 30 primary exposures to brain trauma.

Football players are by far the most represented group, with 708 donors having football as their primary exposure to head impacts, including 305 former NFL players. Military veterans are the next largest group (66) followed by ice hockey (45), boxing (30), soccer (24), and rugby (18).

The report also reveals the race and sex of the first thousand Legacy Donors, with 77% white, 18% Black, and 5% other races. To ensure our discoveries benefit all, CLF is actively recruiting athletes and veterans from diverse racial backgrounds and exposures to head impacts. Recruiting females is a priority, as only 2.8% of the first thousand brains are female. Everyone is invited to pledge to donate their brain or join CLF’s clinical research registry at PledgeMyBrain.org.

The research highlighted in the report would not be possible without the generous contributions made by the families who donated the brain of their loved one. In “1,000 Reasons for Hope,” some of those family members talked publicly about the donation process for the first time.

“I’m very grateful for the insight the Concussion Legacy Foundation has been able to provide me and my family,” said Dwayne Johnson, the son of former professional wrestler Rocky Johnson. “Losing my dad without warning was a tough kick in the gut, but one of the saving graces of his passing was coming to understand just how healthy his brain was. As a professional wrestler his entire life his brain endured a lot and I know he’d be proud knowing the donation of it has impacted brain research and hopefully can shed some light and understanding, not only in science, but also to other families around the world.”

“It provided my family and I with final closure,” said Gail Evans, widow of former NFL player James Evans. “It gave us light into a world that had darkened around us and provided us with understanding and peace.”

With the next 1,000 Legacy Donors studied, VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank researchers and collaborators expect to make monumental progress in the fight against CTE and traumatic brain injuries. The report features insights from 17 of the world’s top CTE researchers about what they expect to learn from the next thousand donors.

You can read and download the full “1,000 Reasons for Hope” report here.

Six-year study brings researchers another step closer to diagnosing CTE in the living

(BOSTON) – For the first time, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have shown that progressive memory loss and problems with executive function, the ability to focus, follow directions, and problem-solve, are most predictive of CTE pathology, and increase the odds of having the disease by 3.6 times.

The new findings bring researchers another step closer to diagnosing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) during life, which is crucial for developing therapies and determining how common the disease is among individuals exposed to repetitive head impacts from contact sports, military service and physical violence.

“This study significantly advances our understanding of how to diagnose CTE in life. Progressive memory and executive function symptoms are particularly valuable for predicting CTE pathology,” said corresponding author Jesse Mez, MD, MS, director of the Boston University (BU) Alzheimer’s Disease Center Clinical Core and a BU CTE Center Investigator. “Mood and behavior symptoms have many causes, and this study confirmed that individuals exposed to brain trauma with those symptoms should seek treatment and not automatically assume they are caused by CTE.”

The study, “Validity of the 2014 Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome Criteria for CTE Pathology” was published online Wednesday in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

CTE is a progressive brain disease. Clinically, impulsivity, explosivity, depression, memory impairment and executive dysfunction have been reported symptoms of the disease. In 2014, criteria for traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES) were proposed for use in clinical research settings to diagnose CTE in life.

To assess the reliability and diagnostic validity of TES criteria, a team of clinicians interviewed family members of 336 VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank brain donors exposed to repetitive head impacts from contact sports, military service and/or physical violence. Neuropathologists then evaluated the brains for CTE pathology. An expert panel of clinicians then determined whether (TES) criteria (i.e. proposed criteria to diagnose CTE in life) were met.

These findings were used by an international team of experts to develop second-generation TES criteria that were announced last month. Having reliable and valid criteria to diagnose CTE in life will improve patient care and accelerate the development of effective therapies, but Mez points out the TES criteria are not yet ready for the clinic.

The Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) is the outreach and recruiting arm of the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, a collaboration between the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Boston University and CLF, where more than 8,000 athletes and military Veterans have pledged to donate their brain. We encourage anyone with a history of brain trauma to get involved in research by pledging their brain and signing up for the CLF research registry, where members are recruited to participate in clinical research studies. Those who are interested can sign-up at PledgeMyBrain.org.

For anyone with a history of brain trauma who is struggling with symptoms of suspected CTE, or caring for someone who is, you can find a new CTE Support and Resources library filled with treatment and coping strategies from experts at ConcussionFoundation.org.

Click here to read the study.

Collaboration promotes Project Enlist, asks veterans to pledge to donate their brain

(BOSTON) – The Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) announced today a foundational partnership with Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) to power Project Enlist, a CLF program that serves as a catalyst for research on traumatic brain injury (TBI), chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military veterans.

Project Enlist encourages all active service members and veterans to pledge to donate their brain to advance research at ProjectEnlist.org. Nearly 8,000 people, including 1,000 veterans, have already taken the pledge.

CLF is the outreach arm of the US Department of Veterans Affairs-Boston University-CLF Brain Bank, the world’s largest CTE research center. Project Enlist is designed to replicate CLF’s success recruiting American football players, as the brain bank now studies the brains of more than one out of every three NFL players after they die. Project Enlist is designed to bring the same visibility to the long-term effects of brain trauma in the military as it has the NFL.

“We don’t have all of the answers for veterans right now,” said Chris Nowinski, Ph.D., CLF co-founder and CEO. “Brain bank research is an essential step in developing effective treatments for TBI, CTE and PTSD so we can protect and support the heroes who courageously fight for our nation.”

The Department of Defense has reported more than 400,000 TBIs among service members in the last 20 years. Brain donation research at the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank and other leading brain banks will allow scientists to gain a better understanding of the unique effects of military brain trauma exposure, leading to diagnosis during life, treatment, and better outcomes. Partnering with leading veteran service organizations like WWP is critical to creating awareness of the need for brain donation among veterans and their families.

“It is very important to spread the message about brain injury,” said Alex Balbir, WWP Independence Services Director. “Working with the Concussion Legacy Foundation can help us learn better ways to care for and treat these invisible wounds.”

In addition to research, CLF supports military service members and their families suffering from the effects of brain trauma through the CLF HelpLine. The HelpLine provides personalized guidance to those struggling with concussion or suspected CTE symptoms by connecting them to clinicians and peer support volunteers.

WWP addresses TBI through a number of programs and services. WWP’s Independence Program helps warriors and families living with moderate to severe TBI. Independence Program helps warriors overcome obstacles and exceed goals. WWP’s Warrior Care Network is a partnership with four top academic medical centers that treat post-traumatic stress disorder and TBI. Clinical treatments at Warrior Care Network sites improve symptoms and quality of life.

In addition to WWP’s foundational funding and outreach partnership, the Robert Irvine Foundation and MAG Aerospace have formed partnerships with CLF to support Project Enlist. Other organizations that would like to partner with Project Enlist can reach out to Julia Manning at [email protected].

Statement from the Concussion Legacy Foundation on the passing of Irv Cross

The Concussion Legacy Foundation was profoundly saddened to learn of the loss of former NFL cornerback and broadcasting legend Irv Cross at the age of 81. Our thoughts are with Irv’s wife Liz, his four children, and the entire Cross family.

Cross was a two-time Pro Bowl selection with the Philadelphia Eagles and one of the best defensive backs in the 1960s. After his playing career, he became a broadcasting pioneer as the first Black sportscaster on national television for CBS’ NFL Today and was a staple of NFL broadcasts for 23 seasons. In his 70s Cross received a diagnosis of mild cognitive dementia. He bravely went public with his diagnosis and symptoms to help others, and he pledged to donate his brain to the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank to advance research.

Always a trailblazer, Cross advocated for the first ever Pop Warner flag football league when he was chairman of the Pop Warner 50th Anniversary Celebration in 1979. Members of the CLF staff had the unique honor of visiting Cross in late 2018 to interview him on his endorsement of Flag Football Under 14, our campaign to educate parents on the risks of youth tackle football. We were inspired by Irv’s courage to publicly pledge his brain for research and speak out against youth tackle football, all in the name of making the game he loved safer. Irv’s brain has been donated to the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank for research on CTE.

In lieu of flowers, the Cross family has asked for donations to be sent to the Concussion Legacy Foundation or to the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation. Those interested in donating to CLF in Cross’ memory can do so at give.classy.org/ConcussionFoundation.

Concussion Legacy Foundation advised on a series of bold changes designed to reduce concussion rates, increase player safety

(NEW YORK CITY) – The Metropolitan Independent Football League (MIFL), which includes 11 New York City-area independent schools, unanimously voted to pass a series of safety measures, highlighted by eliminating kickoffs, including onside kicks, in all conference football games for its upcoming season. The kickoff ban is the first by a high school sports league in the country. The Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF), led by co-founder and CEO Chris Nowinski, Ph.D., a former Harvard football player, advised on the changes.

“The coaches we interviewed who are former college football players were the biggest supporters of eliminating the kickoff. Their personal experiences, combined with the concussion data we shared, led to an important discussion about whether the kickoff was appropriate for children,” said Nowinski. “The Metropolitan Independent Football League decided the kickoff is too dangerous for minors, and I expect more leagues and states will follow.”

Kickoffs have the highest injury rate per play in football. In 2015, the Ivy League reported in the journal Injury Prevention that kickoffs accounted for 6 percent of all plays but 21 percent of concussions. In response to this and similar data, football organizations have made rule changes to discourage kickoff returns, with mixed results, but the MIFL is the first to fully ban the play. The reform received unanimous support from MIFL voting members.

“As a coach I want the players and parents to know they are valued as people and their physical health is at the top of any decision we make as a program,” said Phil Treglia, Riverdale Country School head football coach.

Riverdale Athletics Director John Pizzi, who spearheaded the process, tapped Nowinski for guidance after a 2018 football season riddled with injuries.

“We had to cancel the last game of our season because we did not have enough healthy and experienced players,” said Pizzi. “I knew we had to change football in America to make it safer for our athletes.”

Nowinski and a team including 4-time Canadian Football League Grey Cup Champion Tim Fleiszer and Jeff Brooks, Ph.D. interviewed coaches, sports administrators, and medical teams from each school in the league to determine how injuries were occurring and explore what safety measures could be enacted to reduce the rate of those injuries.

In addition to the no-kickoff rule, onside kicks will not be permitted; instead, in the last five minutes of the second and fourth quarter, the offensive team can opt for the fourth-down play to start at their own 40-yard line. The team must advance 12 yards; otherwise, it is a change in possession where the ball is stopped. But the team may not advance past the defensive team’s 48-yard line regardless of the number of yards gained on the play.

Other approved regulations include limiting full-contact playing time for a player to 15 minutes a week and prohibiting double-session practices on consecutive days. Teams are now required to have both a doctor and EMT/ambulance present at all varsity contests and to provide adequate medical transportation to and from the field for injured players. Finally, traveling teams are encouraged to bring a certified athletic trainer to games.

CLF urges other high school leagues across the country to enact similar rules changes and put the long-term health of their athletes first. Athletic Directors and coaches interesting in learning about making safety rule changes at their schools can contact us at [email protected].

(BOSTON) – The Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) announced today that College Football Hall of Fame and former NFL linebacker Reggie Williams has pledged to donate his brain to CLF to advance research on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and concussions.

“I’m now at a point where I’ll break into tears because of the slightest trigger and I often get hot flashes of anger; it’s a constant struggle to control my mood and emotions,” said Williams, who recalls suffering at least four diagnosed concussions. “I have a very strong feeling that I have CTE, so it was a simple decision for me to pledge to donate my brain. I want to do anything I can to make football safer and help the next generation of athletes.”

At 65 years old Williams, one of the greatest players in Ivy League football history, wants to spread a hopeful message to other former football players who think they’re living with CTE, which cannot be diagnosed with certainty until death. Depression is a common symptom of the neurogenerative disease. Finding positivity and resiliency in the face of challenges has been a theme in Williams’ life, and one he details in his new autobiography, Resilient by Nature.

“CTE is not a death sentence,” Williams said. “It’s a matter of how you deal with it interpersonally and internally. You have to stay positive. You have to fight for hope every single day. You can’t give up because there are ways to manage your symptoms and live a healthy life.”

Williams played his entire 14-year NFL career for the Cincinnati Bengals and made his mark both on the field and in the community. In 1986 he won the NFL’s Man of the Year award, and during his last two seasons he served on the Cincinnati City Council. After his retirement from the NFL, Williams became Walt Disney World’s first Black vice president and was instrumental in developing the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, the current home of the NBA bubble.

“We are honored by Reggie Williams’ brain pledge, which will advance research to help us understand CTE so we can better prevent and treat it,” said Chris Nowinski, Ph.D., Concussion Legacy Foundation co-founder and CEO. “Reggie is spreading a critical message of hope to the football community, showing how taking positive steps to maintain brain health can help combat symptoms. He is living proof that there are ways to feel better when you think you have CTE, and you can still live your best life.”

CLF supports the mental health of patients and families through the CLF HelpLine, which provides urgently needed one-on-one support, resources, peer-to-peer mentors, and medical referrals to people struggling with the effects of concussions or possible CTE. During Suicide Prevention Month, CLF is sharing messages of hope to remind people struggling with suicidal ideation that they are not alone, and there is help available.

Williams is one of more than 7,000 former athletes and military Veterans who have pledged to donate their brain. The CLF research registry is no longer solely focused on brain donation, and members are now recruited to participate in clinical research studies. Those who are interested in joining Williams can sign-up to pledge their brain or participate in clinical research studies at PledgeMyBrain.org.

Labeling a concussion “mild” the day after the injury teaches coaches, parents, and athletes a dangerous lesson

(BOSTON) – The Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) is calling on the New York Yankees to retract and correct their July 5 statement that Masahiro Tanaka had a “mild concussion” after being struck in the head by a 112 mph line drive on July 4. It is medically inappropriate to label a concussion “mild” or “severe” until the individual has fully recovered from the injury.

“The science is clear that initial concussion symptoms do not always correlate with overall concussion severity,” said Robert Cantu, M.D., Concussion Legacy Foundation co-founder and medical director. “Labeling a concussion ‘mild’ just one day after the injury is not appropriate and sets the wrong example for coaches, parents, and athletes.”

“Teams need to recognize when they tell the player, the team, and their fans a concussion is mild, it puts undue public and private pressure on the athlete to return quickly,” said Chris Nowinski, Ph.D., Concussion Legacy Foundation co-founder and CEO, whose own WWE career was ended by a concussion initially thought to be mild. “Athletes in this position feel pressured to ignore or cover up lingering symptoms to meet the expectations of their coach and team. It’s bad enough to put Masahiro Tanaka in this position, but I’m more worried about the high school and youth athletes who will suffer when their coach follows the example set by the New York Yankees.”

The New York Yankees have made this harmful mistake before. When outfielder Clint Frazier ran into a wall in 2018 spring training he was also diagnosed with a “mild concussion.” We now know Frazier actually suffered a severe concussion and could not return for months, ultimately playing only 15 games that season due to persistent symptoms. By calling the concussion mild, the Yankees set an unfair expectation for a fast recovery. That expectation may have contributed to a member of the media saying, “Shame on Clint Frazier for not getting healthy,” which forced Frazier to defend himself on social media.

A decade ago it was common practice to label a concussion mild, moderate or severe based on an athlete’s symptoms at the time of the injury, but now concussion experts and most coaches no longer use those labels until after the athlete has recovered and the injury can be viewed retrospectively. For example, in 2011 Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma told the media Sidney Crosby had “a mild concussion.” Crosby could not play again for another 10 months. In a 2019 story, Bylsma said, “I have said to numerous people, never use those words again.”

CLF urges members of the sports media not to repeat a coach or spokesperson’s incorrect immediate diagnosis of the severity of a concussion without adding the appropriate context. Not labeling a concussion as mild before recovery is one of the 22 Do’s for Covering Concussions that comprise the CLF Media Project, which aims to keep sports media professionals up to date on the fast-moving science of concussions and teach them how to cover concussions accurately and with confidence.

Nearly 100 sports media professionals have taken CLF’s Concussion Reporting Certification, including prominent baseball broadcast voices Brian Anderson, Bob Costas, and Jason Benetti. CLF has also taught their Concussion Reporting Workshop at some of the nation’s top sports journalism programs, including the University of Missouri, Northwestern University, and Syracuse University. Most coaches, parents, and children have never received formal concussion education. Sports media professionals trained on accurate concussion reporting not only become more insightful reporters, but they become the public health messengers we need to protect youth athletes.

Sports media members can learn all our concussion reporting lessons by taking our Concussion Reporting Certification here: https://clfmediaproject.typeform.com/to/c9rpsT.

CLF now has more than 6,000 brain pledges; VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank up to 834 donated brains.

(BOSTON) – The Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) announced today the results of a record-breaking year for its research registry, highlighted by the largest ever gains for military and female brain pledges. The announcement comes during the first week of CLF’s Brain Pledge Month, where all individuals regardless of brain trauma history are encouraged to contribute to research by making the #MyLegacyPledge.

CLF recently launched Project Enlist, which encourages members of the military community to make the pledge to accelerate critical research on TBI, CTE and PTSD in military servicemembers. Veterans like retired Navy SEAL Jason Redman have answered the call, with 461 pledging to donate their brain to research at the Veterans Affairs-Boston University-CLF (VA-BU-CLF) Brain Bank in 2019, nearly doubling the number of military pledges in the decade-old registry in just one year.

In 2019, a record 635 women, led by FIFA Player of the Century and US Women’s National Team icon Michelle Akers, made the pledge. They join Olympians Elana Meyers Taylor, Angela Ruggiero, Hayley Wickenheiser, Brandi Chastain, Cindy Parlow Cone and Nancy Hogshead-Makar. Female athletes remain a focus of the registry, and the recruiting effort is paying off, with the number of female brains donated to the brain bank post-mortem more than doubling since 2018.

“Concussion and CTE research are most commonly associated with football, but there is an urgent need for research on historically overlooked populations, like women and military veterans,” said Chris Nowinski, Ph.D., Concussion Legacy Foundation co-founder and CEO. “We invite all exposed to brain trauma in sports, military, or civilian life, as well as controls who care about them, to pledge at PledgeMyBrain.org.”

The CLF research registry is no longer solely focused on brain donation, and members are now recruited to participate in clinical research studies. Last year, among other studies, registry members were recruited to a study on brain inflammation at Johns Hopkins University, and female soccer players were recruited to participate in the S.H.I.N.E. study at Boston University School of Medicine, the first study investigating the long-term neurological effects of playing soccer in female professional American soccer players.

CLF is the outreach and recruiting arm of the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, the world’s largest CTE brain bank with subspecialties in concussion, ALS, and other consequences of brain trauma. Led by Dr. Ann McKee, the Brain Bank has now collected 834 donated brains. Of those, 270 were donated by families of former NFL players, and one-third of all former NFL players who died in recent years had their brain donated to the Brain Bank. 326 of the donated brains played either college or high school football. More than 100 brains are from people who were 34 years old or younger.

More than 6,000 former athletes and military servicemembers have pledged to donate their brain to CLF. Last year, 354 made the pledge during Brain Pledge Month. The goal for 2020 is 500 new pledges. Everyone who pledges their brain to CLF receives a personalized brain donor card and an informational packet about the brain donation process. Those who are interested can sign-up at PledgeMyBrain.org.

Bold new PSA “Fighting CTE” from the Concussion Legacy Foundation compares dangerous head hits in boxing to head hits in youth tackle football.

(BOSTON) – Super Bowl champions Randy Cross and Leonard Marshall have joined boxing welterweight champion “Irish” Micky Ward to help the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) launch a new PSA that claims enrolling your child in youth tackle football is no different than allowing your child to box. The PSA asks, “If you wouldn’t let your child box, why let them play tackle football?”

CLF created the PSA “Fighting CTE” to help parents understand the link between repetitive hits to the head and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). It relies on two key comparisons, one of which has never been released before. First, a child’s brain can’t tell the difference between a hit to the head from a boxing glove or a football helmet. Repetitive hits to the head can damage the brain, no matter the source.

Second, while CTE is thought of as a boxer’s disease (it was first called punch drunk and dementia pugilistica), there are now more than five times as many cases of CTE in former football players than in boxers.

“It used to be socially acceptable to encourage children to box to learn ‘life lessons,’ but as parents learned about punch drunk, it fell out of favor,” said Robert Cantu, M.D., Concussion Legacy Foundation co-founder and medical director. “With such a strong link between youth tackle football and increased risk of CTE, we should look at it the same way we look at boxing, as an unacceptable and unnecessary activity for children.”

Super Bowl champions Leonard Marshall and Randy Cross are promoting the PSA as part of their support of CLF’s Flag Football Under 14 program which encourages parents to wait until high school to enroll their children in tackle football.

“CTE is a nightmare and we need to do everything we can to stop anyone else from suffering,” said Leonard A. Marshall Jr., two-time Pro Bowl defensive end who won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants. Marshall has been diagnosed with probable CTE. CTE cannot be diagnosed with certainty until after death.

“It’s unnecessary for a child’s brain to take hit after hit when they can learn all of the fundamentals of the game playing flag,” said Randy Cross, three-time Super Bowl champion offensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers.

Cross did not start playing tackle football until ninth grade. Neither did the five greatest NFL players of all-time – Jerry Rice, Jim Brown, Lawrence Taylor, Walter Payton and Tom Brady – or many other NFL greats listed on CLF’s All-Time Greatest Team.

“Irish” Micky Ward became so famous for his ability to absorb punishment in the boxing ring, Mark Wahlberg was drawn to portray the former welterweight champion in the 2010 Oscar-nominated film The Fighter. Ward, who now struggles with memory, sleep and other cognitive symptoms, is an advocate for reducing repeated head impacts in all sports.

“If I knew then what I know now, I never would have subjected myself to so many head impacts,” said Micky Ward, of Lowell, MA, who famously sparred as hard as he fought in prizefights. “The message of this PSA is essential for all parents to hear: repeated head impacts are not good for children.”

A 2019 study published in the Annals of Neurology, led by Boston University researchers, shows the odds of developing CTE increase 30 percent for every year of tackle football played, meaning a high school player who starts tackle football at age 5, instead of age 14, has an incredible 10 times the risk of developing CTE.

You can watch the full PSA “Fighting CTE” at this link. An embed link can also be made available upon request.

Concussion Legacy Foundation will collaborate with University of Auckland’s Centre for Brain Research to advance global CTE research

(Auckland) – Leaders from the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) visited New Zealand this week to announce that the University of Auckland has joined the CLF Global Brain Bank, a network of academic research centers that collaborate with CLF to study Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and other effects of sports-related brain trauma.

The newly launched New Zealand Sports Human Brain Bank Initiative will be part of the University of Auckland’s Centre for Brain Research, led by internationally recognized neuroscientist, Distinguished Professor Sir Richard Faull.

“We are thrilled that Dr. Faull and the impressive team at the University of Auckland Center for Brain Research are joining the fight against CTE,” said Chris Nowinski, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation. “It is fast becoming clear CTE is a global problem, and CLF is committed to recruiting top scientists to collaborate for a cure.”

The Centre for Brain Research was established in 2009 and is home to New Zealand’s only human brain bank. The new extension to the brain bank will collect from donors who have played contact sports like rugby, boxing, soccer, and others, whether or not they have experienced a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI), to scientifically research how head impacts in sports influence brain health and brain disease.

“With a large focus on contact sports in our culture, it’s important that New Zealand is part of this global conversation and that our sports people are included and have access to relevant research results,” said Sir Richard Faull.

The CLF Global Brain Bank was launched in March 2018 with the Australian Sports Brain Bank at the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. In October 2018, the University of São Paulo Biobank for Aging Studies became the CLF Global Brain Bank’s exclusive collaborator in Brazil.

The mission of the CLF Global Brain Bank is to accelerate research by activating the global scientific and sports communities in the fight to understand, prevent, treat, and eventually cure CTE and other trauma-related brain diseases. The CLF Global Brain Bank is modeled off the success of CLF’s collaboration in the United States (US) with Boston University (BU) and the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which has become the world’s largest CTE brain bank. The VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank research team, led by Dr. Ann McKee, has diagnosed more than 400 cases of CTE in the U.S.

Members of the CLF Global Brain Bank commit to collaborative research, including using common study methods, common data elements, and sharing data. Brain tissue will be stored and made available to outside researchers.

“The Australian Sports Brain Bank looks forward to collaborating with our New Zealand colleagues at the New Zealand Sports Human Brain Bank Initiative,” said Dr. Michael Buckland, director of the Australian Sports Brain Bank, who was also in New Zealand for the announcement. “I hope that by working together we can make a uniquely Antipodean contribution to international collaborative efforts to understand, treat and prevent CTE”.

Dr. Buckland announced this week that more than 200 people have pledged their brain to the Australian Sports Brain Bank, which has now received nine brain donations and completed analysis on four cases.