Doctor Attacks Brain Injury Head-On

By Jillian Gaier
AUSTIN, TexasWhen Kendall Thompson was called out of one of his first UT football games,
his legs led him toward the wrong sideline. Back at the locker room, he couldnt remember
where his locker was, let alone remember the code. He said that he couldnt even remember his
moms face.
Thompsons confusion dissolved after several minutes, but the damage done to his brain that day
never completely went away. When Thompson suffered his fifth concussion this past spring, his
doctors and family delivered the news he dreaded most: it was time for him to hang up his
Longhorns jersey and stop playing football.
The players, coaches and medical officers are in a challenging position, said Steven Kornguth,
a neuroscience professor at UT. If you pull a player too early, the wellness of the team is
compromised.
Kornguth discussed this dilemma, along with his research on traumatic brain injury, during a
lecture at the Perry-Castaeda Library on Wednesday. Throughout his presentation, he
emphasized his study of signaturesbiological and environmental factorsthat make an
athlete especially susceptible to long-term brain damage. According to Kornguths theory, each
signature may seem harmless on its own, but can pose a threat when combined with other
signatures.
As the professor set up his powerpoint, students and teachers settled into the makeshift
auditorium, while some added stray chairs to the back row. Several audience members finished
munching on their pizza, which was provided buffet-style by the event staff. When Kornguth
subconsciously cleared his throat into the microphone, all side conversations faded into a lull.
He began his lecture by stating his objective in studying signatures.
The ultimate goal in studying this is to get an algorithm which we can then give to the medical
directors in the sports arena, that shows when you have this specific pattern, the probability of a
very serious illness is very high, Kornguth said.
The signatures that make up Kornguths algorithm include cognitive function, brain structure,
neural injury, and eye-related injury. Kornguth said that for years, doctors have applied tools
such as the ImPACT Test, MRI and biomarkers to assess each signature separately. He intends to
fuse all of this knowledge together to produce a clear and conclusive diagnosis for each athlete.
As a result, medics will be able to make a more informed decision about when to exclude a
player from competition and when to reinsert him. Once fully developed, Kornguth says his
algorithm will benefit at-risk players like Thompson, who are unknowingly prone to more severe
consequences than other athletes.

For UT associate professor of nursing Linda Yoder, this was all new information. Despite her
preexisting medical knowledge, Yoder was unaware and impressed by the innovate research
taking place on campus.
Yoders background in traumatic brain injury research may have been what brought her to
Kornguths lecture. But as a sister of two all-state football players, Yoder was also able to relate
to the subject matter from a fans perspective.
Regarding contact sports, Yoder said, Theyre part of the American landscape. These sports are
here to stay. We just need to get better at recognizing the symptomology and screening people at
the time of injury.
Kornguth was just as realistic and said that the desire to compete often overrides any pain or
confusion a player may feel.
Until recently, this was certainly true in Thompsons case.
Despite the concussions and occasional loss of thought that occurs to this day, Thompson says he
does not regret playing football.
I chose to expose myself in the situation for my love of the game, he said. When you love
something, youre going to keep doing it until you cant do it anymore.
For this reason, Kornguth argued that it is up to the medicsnot just the leagues or the players
themselvesto resist outside pressures, implement more efficient technology, and make the right
call in real time.
As for the future, Thompson said he hopes that one day hell be able to help his kids with their
homework. He believes he will still be able to do that because he took action before too much
damage was done.
But not all athletes are as self-aware as Thompson. Until more indicative health technology is
adopted into the sports arena, its game on for traumatic brain injury.