Neuropsychology is a fairly new field of psychology, studying the structure and function of the brain and applying this knowledge to a person’s actions and behaviors. Most of the research of neuropsychology can only be done on patients who have a damaged part of the brain, associating the outlier behaviors of the person with the damage done to the brain. Phineas Gage, as we learned in class, is a prime example of this as he was the subject of many studies after having a train spike pierce through his skull, drastically changing his personality.
Through this new field, intimidating news is being discovered regarding National Football League (NFL) and National Hockey League (NHL) players whose careers were plagued with hard hits and frequent concussions. A concussion, defined as a traumatic brain injury resulting from a violent blow or shaking of the head, is far from uncommon in these sports. Repeated concussions can lead to Post-Concussion Syndrome, where symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, etc. can last up for weeks, months or even years. In severe cases, it can even lead to death or a shortened life span.
It came to the surprise of many when football hall of famer Mike Webster, a hard hitting center of the Pittsburgh Steelers, died at the age of 50. After his playing career ended, Webster’s life was plagued with health issues. Fighting through multiple concussions throughout his NFL career led to damage to the frontal lobe of his brain leading to cognitive dysfunction, a shortened attention span, and a difficulty in concentrating.
NHL player Keith Primeau had his career shortened early from repeated concussions in 2005, and today he still suffers from the lingering effects resulting from the trauma his brain received over his playing years. Headaches, blurry vision, and trouble focusing continue to affect his life after hockey. Primeau’s symptoms have led him to donate his brain to be studied by neuroscientists and neuropsychologists. Many others, such as Chris Pronger and Ian Laperierre, have had the careers end because of concussions and continue to face the symptoms of Post-Concussion Syndrome, and these studies can help the lives of future players.
The brain is very complex, and new neuropsychology studies of former players are showing how severely new/current players are at risk. Symptoms varying from complete changes in personality, vision difficulty, light headedness, hearing issues and more are leading to new measures in sports to drastically decrease dangerous blows to the head. Stricter rules than ever are being imposed to stop the rampant amount of concussions in the leagues. Yet, It does not help that in football and hockey, and other contact driven sports, there is a mentality to fight through the pain and sacrifice the body for the game and team.
Through my high school career playing hockey, I have had times after games that for weeks I have felt dazed and unfocused. The dangerous part is sometimes I would not even realize it, and attribute the feelings to tiredness or other factors. It definitely affected me through high school, and because of this I believe the most important thing in preventing damage from concussions is making players aware. The mentality of fighting through the pain can be very dangerous, and young players must be made aware of the symptoms of concussions and the possible effects of ignoring them. This to me would be the most effective way of reducing the impact of post-concussion syndrome on player’s lives.