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Series: The Science Of Brain Health

Scientists are still developing a better understanding of brain health and maladies from concussions to Alzheimer's disease, but it's clear that all stages of life can have significant consequences for the human body's most complex organ. Brain health plays a role in everyday wellness challenges elderly adults face, and as Wisconsin's overall population ages, research and public-health efforts promoting well-being and quality of life are focusing on issues like degenerative neural diseases and strokes. At the same time, the medical community is becoming more concerned about threats to younger and middle-aged people's brain health, especially when it comes to devastating effects of athletics-related injuries, whether in high-school competitions or professional sports. Whatever the circumstances, the condition of the brain has myriad effects on both physical and mental health.
 
Series: The Science Of Brain Health

Borland To Young Athletes: 'Proceed With Caution'

Video: 
Shawn Johnson
Wisconsin Public Radio
Chris Borland, a former Wisconsin Badger and NFL player, hung up his jersey over concerns that continuing to play football would lead to serious brain damage. He now advocates for keeping athletes safe and to "proceed with caution" in sports.
Series: The Science Of Brain Health

Noon Wednesday: Concussions In Football

As awareness increases about the dangers of sports-related concussions and the culture that perpetuates these injuries, Dee Hall of the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism discusses what is happening at UW-Madison, in research labs and on the gridiron.
Series: The Science Of Brain Health

What Fruit Flies May Be Able To Reveal About Football Injuries

Audio: 
Megan Hart
Wisconsin Public Radio
Shared via
WPR
Flies were used during early research into human genetics, said Dr. Doug Brusich. An assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Brusich is among a group of researchers who now use the insect to study traumatic brain injuries.
Series: The Science Of Brain Health

Discovering The Role Of Sleep In Brain Development, Learning And Health

Samantha Nash
PBS Wisconsin
Despite the universality of sleep, the purpose of this biological imperative remains somewhat shrouded in mystery.
Series: The Science Of Brain Health

As Hits Pile Up, Badger Football Players Downplay Warnings About Brain Injuries

Luke Schaetzel
Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
Wisconsin is in the middle of a national controversy about the health risks of contact sports, with research into concussions being conducted in the state, and a string of players who have left football after suffering brain injuries.
Series: The Science Of Brain Health

Dr. Bennet Omalu Asserts Brain Injury In Sports Is 'Civil Rights Issue Of Our Time'

Luke Schaetzel
Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
Dr. Bennet Omalu likens the American obsession with football to a religion. In that regard, he might be considered a heretic: Omalu has equated allowing children to play football to child abuse and warns that the NFL is doomed unless it starts reducing harmful blows to the head.
Series: The Science Of Brain Health

Aging, Alzheimer's And The Long-Term Health Of Brains

Hayley Sperling
WisContext
Every 65 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer's disease, and its prevalence is growing as the nation ages.
Series: The Science Of Brain Health

Sidelined By Headaches, Former Badger Plans To Sue NCAA Over Brain Injury Risk

Luke Schaetzel
Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
At 6 feet tall and 195 pounds, Tony Megna was considered too small to be a college football linebacker. Megna was determined, though, to play for the University of Wisconsin-Madison squad.
Series: The Science Of Brain Health

The Fallout Of Football Brain Injury Risks For Wisconsin's Youth Athletes

Luke Schaetzel
Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
Debra Pyka did not know the true risks of football when she decided to allow her three sons to play youth tackle football.
Series: The Science Of Brain Health

Using Plain Language To Improve The Concussion Conversation Among Athletes

Luke Schaetzel
Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
A University of Wisconsin-Madison researcher is examining ways to improve athletes' reporting of brain injuries — a key to preventing long-term neurological damage.