Nicknamed the ‘Greatest’ in the prime of his boxing days, Muhammad Ali is now fighting a different kind of fight. For nearly 20 years, Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative neurological disease, has affected his life to the point where he is barely able to speak. And he’s not the only boxer to face this type of injury after retiring from the ring. How does a boxer know when the next punch might be his last?

According to a new study by the American Academy of Neurology, one too many blows to the head can affect memory and cognitive abilities. Repetitive hits to the head are what can lead to the degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. READ FULL ARTICLE +

The NFL concussion lawsuits are back in the news. Another tragic suicide has occurred, this one by ex-player Ray Easterling who died from a self inflicted gunshot wound. Suffering from long term brain injuries, Easterling is best known as a defensive back for the Atlanta Falcons in the 1970s.

Easterling’s attorney Larry Coben says that for “the last six months I could tell he was not on his game. He kept repeating himself and getting confused.” His wife says Ray “felt like his brain was falling off. He was losing control. He couldn’t remember things from five minutes ago.”  Easterling was 62 years old. READ FULL ARTICLE +