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• Brain Injuries are any damage to the brain, most commonly following a sudden trauma such as concussion. Brain Injuries can be severe enough to cause death or coma, while other times they are mild, causing only minimal injury.

  On March 16, 2009, actress Natasha Richardson was injured when she fell and hit her head during a beginner's ski lesson at the Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec, Canada. Richardson was said to be fine and talking immediately following the injury, though she complained of feeling unwell an hour later and was taken to a hospital for treatment. Doctors now say that Richardson is brain dead and will be taken off of life support once her family has been given a chance to say goodbye to her. Doctors who have not treated Richardson, but have been following her story say that "talk and die" syndrome is caused when an injury leads to bleeding between the skull and the brain.Fox News: Doctor: Natasha Richardson May Have... (March 17, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Six professional athletes who died in their 30s and 40s have been found to have suffered; some of their brains appeared to be as damaged as Alzheimer's patients in their 80sESPN: Study: McHale had developed CTE (January 27, 2009)
  2. Can result from closed or penetrating head injury
  3. 50,000 Americans die from traumatic brain injury each year
  4. Multiple concussions can cause traumatic brain injury

• Disclaimer

  The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you have a Brain Injury, please consult your doctor.

• Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

  Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a brain injury recognized in professional athletes. It is believed to result from exposure to multiple concussions. Symptoms associated with the disease include depression, sleep disorders and mental fatigue. On January 27, 2009, researchers from Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy reported the results of autopsies conducted on five former NFL players.CNN: Dead athletes' brains show damage from concussions (January 27, 2009)

  The five football players had died in the 30s and 40s—and damage identified to their brains was described as comparable to that seen in Alzheimers patients in their 80s. Researchers looked at John Grimsley, Mike Webster, Andre Waters, Justin Strzelczyk, and Terry Long. Webster, Long, and Strzelczyk suffered depressions before they died; Grimsley died of an accidental gunshot wound and Waters committed suicide.CNN: Dead athletes' brains show damage from concussions (January 27, 2009) In a separate announcement on January 27, Boston University reported that NFL player Todd McHale, who played nine years in the NFL and died at the age of 45 in 2008 of an overdose of OxyContin and cocaine, was also found to have suffered from CTE.ESPN: Study: McHale had developed CTE (January 27, 2009)

  About 100 football players have signed up to have their brains studied after they died, including Ted Johnson and Chris Nowinski. CNN: Dead athletes' brains show damage from concussions (January 27, 2009)

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy |Blepharospasm | Head Injuries | Concussion | Coma | Spinal Cord Injury | Seizures | Parkinson's Disease | Pain Relievers | Car Safety | Cerebral Palsy | Ted Johnson | Chris Nowinski | John Grimsley | How to Become a Neurosurgeon | Greg Page | Coco Sumner

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