Last week there was an article that came out on Football and CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy).   The study looked at 202 deceased football players.  They found:  Among 202 deceased former football players (median age at death, 66 years [interquartile range, 47-76 years]), CTE was neuropathologically diagnosed in 177 players (87%; median age at death, 67 years [interquartile range, 52-77 years]; mean years of football participation, 15.1 [SD, 5.2]), including 0 of 2 pre–high school, 3 of 14 high school (21%), 48 of 53 college (91%), 9 of 14 semiprofessional (64%), 7 of 8 Canadian Football League (88%), and 110 of 111 National Football League (99%) players. Neuropathological severity of CTE was distributed across the highest level of play, with all 3 former high school players having mild pathology and the majority of former college (27 [56%]), semiprofessional (5 [56%]), and professional (101 [86%]) players having severe pathology. Among 27 participants with mild CTE pathology, 26 (96%) had behavioral or mood symptoms or both, 23 (85%) had cognitive symptoms, and 9 (33%) had signs of dementia. Among 84 participants with severe CTE pathology, 75 (89%) had behavioral or mood symptoms or both, 80 (95%) had cognitive symptoms, and 71 (85%) had signs of dementia.  This study only looked at deceased football players, it did not compare these brains to non-traumatic deceased brains.  The key to look at is that head and neck trauma are a real problem.  Anytime I hear someone who has a concussion, the protocol is to watch and wait for about 7 days after injury.  Then they slowly introduce stimuli to the body.  When there is trauma the neck is damaged and it needs to be corrected.  Upper Cervical adjustments are the missing link with these individuals.  There was a segment on the 30 for 30 show on ESPN, describing Jim McMahon and his horrible difficulties with post traumatic injuries.  It describes a procedure done by an Upper Cervical Chiropractor that changed his life.  New research looks at how the spine affects the draining of the fluid around the spinal cord and brain.  When there is a misalignment or subluxation, this alters how the drainage flows down from the brain.  By correcting the subluxation, it allows for proper drainage of the fluid around the brain.  This is absolutely essential in concussion situations and is the missing link to helping these individuals.