Recently the Journal of Athletic Enhancement released a first of its kind study examining the cognitive performance on neuropsychological testing of MMA athletes. The study, authored by Christopher Heath and Jennifer Callahan, conducted a series of cognitive performance tests on 28 MMA athletes and a control group of 28 non MMA athletes. The MMA athletes … More Recent Developments in Combat Sports Brain Injury Studies

Although the mandatory use of gloves in Mixed Martial Arts was one step which helped bring the sport from its ‘human-cockfighting‘ stigma into greater mainstream acceptance, this requirement likely increased the incidence of brain trauma for the sport’s participants. Gloves protect fighters’ fists from injuries and reduce superficial cuts to opponents but do little to protect an … More Knockouts By Punch Increased Tenfold After Gloves Introduced to MMA

Adding to this site’s archived medical literature addressing safety issues in combat sports, an important study was published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association addressing objective brain changes in college football players. The study compared three groups: 1. College football players with no concussion history 2. College football players with a … More More Medical Evidence on the Toll of Sub Concussive Trauma in Combat Sports

New research reveals that concussive injuries come with objectively measurable changes in the brain.  The findings are remarkable because while post concussive symptoms are well known this study gives insight into the structural damage that may cause these symptoms.  The findings were published this week in the Journal of Neurosurgeory showing that the brain indeed is physically … More Concussions Accompanied With Visible Alterations in the Brain