Disturbing Statistics About NFL Player Injuries

KYW's Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It is a very disturbing statistic and it might be a reason why we are starting to see NFL players retire at younger ages.

A researcher from Florida, reporting at the American Academy of Neurology, has found that 40 percent of former National Football League players show evidence of having experienced traumatic brain injury, which the researchers suspect are from concussions and near-concussions suffered while playing.

In this study they had 40 ex-players undergo diffusion sensor MRI scans. Of the 40, 17 were diagnosed with traumatic brain injury. The way they measured this was by looking at levels of water movement on MRI scans and measuring the amount of damage to the brain's white matter.

The report is being called one of the largest of its kind in retired NFL players.