Contact:
Pamela McDonnell
Media Relations
NYU Medical Center
(212) 404-3555
Email: Pamela.Mcdonnell@nyumc.org

CHIEF OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AT NYU MEDICAL CENTER TESTIFIES AT NFL SUMMIT ON CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT

NEW YORK, NY – June 18, 2007 – William B. Barr Ph.D., Chief of Neuropsychology at NYU Medical Center and Associate Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry at the NYU School of Medicine, is available to talk about the the NFL's management of concussions in conjunction with the summit they held in Chicago.

"The NFL has vowed to change its policy, and we hope that's true," says Dr. Barr who consulted for the NY Jets and had serious differences with NFL findings after working with the organization on concussion research. There are higher rates of memory loss and depression among retired football players, health problems that are linked to concussion," he says.  "Studies have shown that players who suffer concussions are at risk for additional concussions and mental impairment.  The NFL treats each case on an individual basis, but in some cases sends players back into a game after they've been knocked unconscious--the only sport to do so.  Even boxing has a better policy, barring boxers from fighting for a month after a knockout.  Until the NFL changes its policies, people should not be surprised to see  former Super Bowl champions wandering around with dementia."

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