The TeamSafe® Report #32: Concussion Contradiction and Confusion Continue
The world of concussions continues to be embroiled in contradiction, conflict of interest and confusion. In an excellent article by Shelia Dingus, the topic of academic fraud and its ramifications to concussion research and concussion care are discussed. Author and reporter Ted Tatos and The Athletic "revealed evidence of LD/ADHD [Learning Disorders/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder] rates among incoming college football athletes at UNC of over 50% in some cohort-years and UNC’s failure to disclose these diagnoses as the football athletes participated in the school’s concussion research."
Previous research showed that athletes with LD/ADHD are more susceptible to concussions and required a longer period of recovery than athletes without LD/ADHD. This means that there may have been attempts "cover up the effects of recurrent head trauma" in those athletes. Even more troublesome is that "numerous scientists refuted their own research in an effort to discredit" these findings. Adding to the confusion is the fact that large numbers of "experts" have signed letters that support the research performed at UNC and voice concern over this research.
Read more here.
