Using the NINDS Consensus Diagnostic Criteria for Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome on 4 Cohorts of Retired Contact Sport Athletes.

Background: A 2021 National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) consensus panel proposed a set of clinical diagnostic criteria for traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES) and determined provisional levels of certainty for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) pathology based on neuropathological evidence. The panel suggested the criteria needed to be validated by clinical studies of living populations exposed to repetitive head impacts (RHIs).

Hypothesis: As the consensus criteria were developed solely from neuropathologically diagnosed cases of CTE, we hypothesized that they may not be readily applicable to the clinical impressions developed from the histories and examination findings of living patients whose neuropathology was unknown.

Role of the Neurologist in the Care of Athletes With Head Injuries.

Some American neurologists seem uncertain about their role in caring for head-injured athletes. My long neurologic career focusing on brain injury has taught me that neurologists have a unique clinical skill set and expertise that is invaluable to the medical care of patients with MTBI related to sports.

Improving capacity to care for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities: The value of an experiential learning model for family medicine residents.

Background: Patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are more likely to experience poor health outcomes and family physicians receive inadequate training to provide appropriate care to this patient group. Little prior research has studied how to effectively train family physicians to care for patients with IDD.

Objective: The aim of this pilot study was to assess the value of adding an experiential component to didactic education strategies to improve family medicine resident perceived comfort, skills and knowledge related to caring for patients with IDD.

Long-Term Neurological Consequences Related to Boxing and American Football: A Review of the Literature.

The long-term effects of repetitive head trauma on the brain have often been studied in boxers and American football players. The medical literature on this topic was reviewed in order to compare the findings related to boxing with those related to football. The evidence gathered from this review indicates that there are significant differences between the clinical and neuropathological descriptions of the chronic brain damage reported in retired boxers compared to those reported in retired football players.

Improving the quality of primary care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Value of the periodic health examination.

Objective: To implement a Health Check protocol for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and assess outcomes.

Design: Retrospective chart review and staff survey.

Setting: Two Ontario family health teams.