NFL Awards U of M Funding to Study Concussions

The NFL believes researchers at the University of Minnesota can help fix a serious problem for athletes across the country. NFL Charities has awarded The U of M's School of Kinesiology $100,000 to study how multiple sports-related concussions impact the brain.

Researchers will be using a new technique, treating the MRI like a movie camera to study blood vessels in the brain. 

"What we think is that the blood vessels have actually become affected, and they are not starting to really dilate and utilize themselves," said Dr. Donald Dengel, Ph.D, Associate Professor at the School of Kinesiology.

Dengel says he hopes the research will help athletes determine when it is safe to return to play after one or multiple concussions.

"This may be a way in the future to actually do a better job of diagnosing sports related concussions," Dengel said.

Researchers will study the brains of people who have suffered 5 or more sports related concussions.

NFL Charities awarded 15 grants, totaling $1.5 million. Nearly two thirds of the money will help study concussion prevention and treatment.