Today begins the Super bowl 2016 and is an event that has attracted interest in many places of the world, a US event expected in Mexico as well.

With this theme in a table can be resumed more topics that all teams involved and who raised trophies every year. Personally, like a future Neuroscience, came to me the following story, which was recently published by the film Concussion, starring Will Simith.

Bennet Omalu, neuropathologist Nigeria-born American citizen, who was engaged in forensic neurology, in 2002 achieved a breakthrough, to get in their hands the body of the former professional football player, Mike Webster. Legend of the Pittsburgh Steelers, four times champion of the NFL. His later years were more than fatal, he finished insane and died of a heart attack. his brain was in the hands of Omalu, who on a scan failed to find anything surprising, however, he awakened something in him so investing your own money, did a more thorough the famous brain analysis, an analysis at the cellular level that fell off the great discovery, and which led to the study of more than 17 brains of former players.
The discovery was published in 2005, but did not get a positive response from the NFL, he received a aggressive response, discredited his studies, even without any neurologist on the committee to brain injuries.

In 2008, Boston University created the first brain bank spent searching CTE veterans in the league. The bodies they kept coming. In 2011 and 2012, Dave Duerson (50 years) and Junior Seau (43 years) committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest instead of the head as many other former players had cast, prisoners of dementia that triggers the CTE. The reason for this choice explained in his farewell note: "Study my brain."

Omalu had won: "I just wanted players to have the best possible knowledge of the situation; they knew the risks. " And I think it's true that the players will be aware of the injuries that can have and know they can break your arm or leg, know that your brain plays without protection and this leads to the CTE.
The NFL has changed rules to limit head injuries and helmets have improved their designs to offer more protection. But technology has limits. "The brain is like a pudding in a box, for sound it can not prevent the pudding is moved with each stroke. The helmet protects more the skull than the brain. The danger is obvious, "explains José Manuel Molto, member of the Spanish Society of Neurology.

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