A very interesting article from the New York Times about
former NHL player Derek Boogarrd who overdosed on pain killers and alcohol at
age 28. It discusses Boogarrd's rise to stardom as an 'enforcer' in the NHL and
how it may have led to his death. Much like many hockey players, Boogard
suffered several concussions, even more since he got into a lot of fights.
After his unexpected death, a researcher studying brains of high impact
athletes wanted to take a look at Derek's brain. His family agreed and his brain
was sent to a Boston area lab to be studied. What the researcher was looking
for is what's called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as
C.T.E., a close relative of Alzheimer’s disease. It is believed to be caused by
repeated blows to the head. It can be diagnosed only posthumously, but
scientists say it shows itself in symptoms like memory loss, impulsiveness,
mood swings, and even addiction. All of which were symptoms he showed. Doctors
also believed that if Derek had lived longer, the condition could have
developed into middle aged dementia. Could this condition have been prevented?
Many doctors believe that th warning signs were all there. Derek's perception
of a tough guy may have forced him to mask his problems. For athletic trainers
that work closely with athletes, they need to be able to recognize not only the
symptoms of a concussion, but also changes in mood, behavior and addiction.
Derek's drug problem was aided by the multiple doctors that had prescribed him
pain killers. Something that an athletic trainer should be aware of and step in
if the situation gets out of control.
