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| Male boxers will not wear headguards at the Olympic Games in Rio. According to a study by the sport’s governing body, there are fewer cases of concussion when headguards are not worn. However, a new imaging technology known as diffusion MRI could spot signs of potential brain injury at an early stage.
Click here to subscribe to The Economist on YouTube: http://econ.trib.al/rWl91R7 At the Rio Olympics boxers will compete without head guards. It’s the first time the boxers skulls will be unprotected at the games in over 30 years. A study by the amateur International Boxing Association found that the number of concussions decreased by 43% when head guards were removed. A direct impact can also stretch and rip tiny microscopic wires in the brain called axons. This kind of damage can progress over time and lead to a long term brain disease known as CTE. Neuro scientists now have the tools to measure this damage more accurately than ever before. Check out Economist Films: http://films.economist.com/ |
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