First Major League Soccer Player Is Diagnosed With CTE – Consumer Health News

WEDNESDAY, June 29, 2022 (HealthDay News) — When former skilled Major League Soccer (MLS) participant Scott Vermillion died at age 44, he had stage 2 CTE, his household introduced Tuesday.

He is the primary former MLS participant identified with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Vermillion died from an unintentional overdose in December 2020.

“This illness destroys households, and never simply soccer households,” mentioned Dave Vermillion, Scott’s father. “We need others to comprehend this may occur to anybody who’s uncovered to repetitive head trauma as a result of we did not even contemplate CTE when my son was struggling.”

The household launched the findings from Vermillion’s mind examine by the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) to assist increase consciousness about CTE in soccer. Boston University CTE Center researchers identified Vermillion.

“He began withdrawing from his family and friends and we knew there was one thing occurring, however we did not know what,” Dave Vermillion mentioned in a basis news release. “We hope this will probably be a wake-up name to the soccer neighborhood to help former gamers and get them the assistance they want, so some good can come from this tragedy.”

Vermillion performed on the Project 40 staff earlier than beginning his skilled profession in 1998 with the Kansas City Wizards. He was a defender for the U.S. Men’s National Team, additionally in 1998. In 4 seasons, he additionally performed with D.C. United and the Colorado Rapids, earlier than retiring with an ankle harm. He had performed soccer for a complete of twenty-two years, because the age of 5.

While in his 20s, he started growing impulse management points, aggression, despair and nervousness, which later advanced into signs together with apathy, substance abuse, social withdrawal and reminiscence loss.

“We study extra about CTE and the hazards of repetitive head trauma with each mind that’s donated to our middle,” mentioned Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and and VA-BU-CLF/UNITE Brain Bank.

“Mr. Vermillion has proven us that soccer gamers are in danger for CTE,” McKee mentioned within the launch. “We have to make each effort to determine gamers who’re struggling and supply them compassionate care and acceptable medical help.”

The Brain Bank has studied dozens of different soccer gamers who performed at numerous ranges. They embody semi-skilled participant Patrick Grange, the primary American soccer participant identified with the illness in 2014, and former highschool participant Curtis Baushke.

“It is time for the worldwide soccer neighborhood to have an actual dialog about heading, particularly within the youth sport,” mentioned basis co-founder and CEO Dr. Chris Nowinski.

“A dementia disaster tied to repetitive heading has been found amongst skilled soccer gamers within the United Kingdom, and the identical revelation might not be far behind within the United States. We urgently want to research how far this disaster extends into newbie soccer and instantly put in place reforms to forestall CTE within the subsequent era,” Nowinski mentioned.

Former gamers who could also be battling CTE ought to know that there’s assist accessible, the Vermillion household mentioned.

The Concussion Legacy Foundation HelpLine offers free, customized help to sufferers and households battling concussion or suspected CTE signs. Anyone who wants help can attain out at CLFHelpline.org.

More info

The Alzheimer’s Association has extra on CTE.

SOURCE: Concussion Legacy Foundation, information launch, June 28, 2022