A CDC’s August 2025 report, Comparing Head Impacts in Youth Tackle and Flag Football, reiterates five key recommendations stated in 2021: expand flag football programs, reduce contact practices, enforce helmet-to-head penalties, teach proper tackling techniques, and provide comprehensive safety education. The research shows youth tackle players sustain 15 times more head impacts than flag football athletes.
These findings echo longstanding government concerns about youth football safety, that this website has noted since 2018. While the CDC’s rules remain sound, the persistence of these same conclusions suggests it may be time for more decisive action to accelerate the adoption of safer practices nationwide. (Some have recommended regulatory standards, funding incentives, or policy mandates, but others note concerns about overreach.)
Scientists have discovered a promising new way to help people recover from traumatic brain injuries. Researchers created tiny scaffolds loaded with a special copper compound that showed amazing results in laboratory studies. These scaffolds helped reduce brain swelling, prevented brain cells from dying, and improved both movement and thinking abilities.
One might think copper is just copper, but there’s an important difference between regular copper metal and copper oxide. Regular copper is the shiny, reddish-brown metal you see in pennies and wires. Copper oxide is what forms when copper mixes with oxygen from the air. There are actually two types of copper oxide: one that’s reddish-brown and one that’s black. Only the black type, called copper(II) oxide, helps with brain injuries.
According to 2025 research published on the NIH website, “CuO@PG scaffolds significantly reduce neuronal pyroptosis (a form of programmed cell death), alleviate brain swelling, and improve motor and cognitive functions in animal models.” The treatment works best when given six hours after the injury.
However, copper can be a double-edged sword. While too little copper hurts the brain’s ability to heal, too much can be toxic. As NIH research explains, “copper accumulation in the brain following TBI exacerbates neuronal injury.” That’s why controlled delivery is crucial for safety.
Congressional lawmakers have introduced the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act to strengthen fighter safety protections. Representatives Brian Jack (GA) and Sharice Davids (KS) introduced this legislation in July 2025, building upon the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996.
The timing coincides with devastating losses in Tokyo, where Shigetoshi Kotari and Hiromasa Urakawa, both 28, died from subdural hematomas after competing on the same card at Korakuen Hall on August 2. Both fighters collapsed following their matches and underwent emergency brain surgery but died days later. Japan’s Boxing Commission subsequently reduced championship fights from 12 to 10 rounds.
The new legislation enhances the original Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, enacted in 2000, which primarily addressed financial protections. This revival focuses heavily on medical safety, mandating comprehensive brain imaging including MRIs every three years and increased testing frequency after knockouts.
The lawmakers cite concerns about brain trauma in combat sports, with former MMA fighter Congresswoman Davids drawing from personal experience about ring dangers. The World Boxing Organization, a major international sanctioning body governing professional boxing globally, endorses these enhanced safety protocols to protect fighter welfare.
Congressional efforts to expand hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) access for veterans with traumatic brain injuries and PTSD are advancing through multiple legislative channels in 2025.
Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ) reintroduced H.R. 72, the TBI and PTSD Treatment Act, on January 3, 2025, alongside co-sponsors Representative Elijah Crane (AZ) and Representative Paul Gosar (AZ). The bill was referred to the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and subsequently to the Subcommittee on Health on February 6, 2025.
Additionally, Congressman Greg Murphy (NC) championed H.R. 1336, the Veterans National Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Act, which successfully passed the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee on May 6, 2025. This bipartisan legislation establishes a pilot program for HBOT treatment and garnered support from twelve co-sponsors across party lines.
Both bills target the veteran suicide epidemic, with over 17 veterans lost daily. HBOT accelerates brain healing by delivering elevated oxygen to damaged tissue, with studies showing significant PTSD symptom reduction within four weeks of treatment.
The legislation aims to remove VA bureaucratic barriers and provide veterans additional treatment options beyond traditional therapies, representing a critical step toward addressing the mental health crisis affecting America’s veterans.
Holly, a single mother of three, was brutally beaten unconscious while trying to intervene in a downtown Cincinnati street fight on July 26 at around 3 a.m. Violently slammed to the ground by the attackers, she was left with severe injuries including neurological damage, specifically a concussion and vision problems.
In subsequent media appearances, Holly described the assault as “attempted murder” rather than just an incident, criticizing police for their inadequate response. She also expressed frustration that despite suffering life-threatening injuries, as of the date of her viral response, she had not been contacted by Cincinnati officials, apologizing for the attack.
Six individuals have been arrested in connection with the brutal beating that was witnessed by approximately 100 bystanders, though only one person called 911 for help.
In response, on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno introduced “Holly’s Act” – proposed legislation aimed at ending what he calls the justice system’s “revolving door” for repeat offenders. The act would raise minimum sentences and bail requirements for violent criminals, ensuring those with extensive criminal records cannot easily return to the streets. Additionally, “[He] will convene the federal agencies that provide money to Cincinnati and ask them to suspend federal funding until [the city council and the mayor have] a plan in place.”
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval called Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno’s response “extremely disappointing,” stating that threats to suspend federal funding constitute “political theater” designed to harm residents. The mayor defended the city’s existing public safety initiatives, including drone programs and walking patrols, while acknowledging more work needed to be done downtown.
Holly supports the legislation, hoping her traumatic experience will be a catalyst to prevent similar attacks and improve police staffing statewide.
A groundbreaking study, published by the NIH and reported on by the Military Medical Research Journal in August 2025, has shed new light on how our brains respond to injury, focusing on a protein called IL-33 that acts as the body’s internal alarm system.
When brain cells are damaged—whether from a traumatic injury, stroke, or repeated mild impacts like those seen in contact sports—they release IL-33 as a distress signal. This protein, known as an “alarmin,” alerts the immune system that something is wrong.
The August 2025 research, conducted in both mice and humans, revealed that IL-33 plays a crucial protective role after brain injury. The study found that when IL-33 levels drop following repetitive mild brain trauma, cognitive problems—like memory loss and difficulty thinking clearly—become significantly worse.
Here’s how it works: IL-33 helps special immune cells called microglia (the brain’s cleanup crew) remove harmful debris and damaged proteins that accumulate after injury. When IL-33 is functioning properly, these cleanup cells work efficiently to clear away toxic buildup, particularly a problematic protein called amyloid-beta.
The researchers discovered that supplementing IL-33 levels through nasal administration dramatically improved brain function and cognitive recovery in injured animals. This finding offers hope for developing new treatments for people suffering from brain injuries, potentially helping millions recover more effectively from trauma-related cognitive decline.
Decreased IL-33 in the brain following repetitive mild traumatic brain injury contributes to cognitive impairment by inhibiting microglial phagocytosis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40764944/
In June 2025, Case Western Reserve University and University of Cincinnati researchers received an Air Force Research Laboratory grant to develop nanotherapeutics for traumatic brain injuries and hemorrhages. Nanotherapy is a medical approach using nanoparticles—tiny therapeutic devices ranging from 1-100 nanometers in size, similar to biological molecules like proteins. The CWRU research team created synthetic platelets from nanoparticles called liposomes that mimic natural platelet functions to stabilize blood clots and reduce bleeding in complex injury scenarios. Nanotherapies already help cancer patients by improving drug targeting and reducing systemic toxicity while enabling sustained drug release. The government and research institutions are optimistic about this technology’s potential to transform trauma care, offering critical solutions for battlefield medicine, mass casualty events, and emergency situations where traditional blood transfusions are unavailable, ultimately bridging gaps between battlefield needs and real-world medical challenges for both military personnel and civilians.
While rosemary has graced Mediterranean kitchens for centuries, modern science is uncovering this fragrant herb’s remarkable potential as a brain protector and healer. Recent research conducted by the NIH and other entities reveals that rosemary may offer significant therapeutic benefits for those recovering from brain trauma, while also providing cognitive enhancement for healthy individuals.
Studies on animal models with repetitive mild traumatic brain injury have shown that rosemary extract dramatically improves cognitive deficits that typically follow such trauma. The herb’s active compounds, particularly carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid, demonstrate powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that protect brain cells from the harmful free radicals and inflammation that flood the brain after injury. Research published in NIH databases shows rosemary treatment prevents neuronal degeneration and reduces harmful brain cell activation in the hippocampus, a region crucial for memory formation.
In experimental models of stroke and brain injury, rosemary extract significantly reduced brain tissue damage, improved neurological function scores, and decreased dangerous brain swelling. Animals treated with rosemary showed better performance on memory tasks and improved spatial learning abilities. The herb enhances blood flow to the brain, delivering vital oxygen and nutrients needed for healing while supporting natural repair mechanisms.
Beyond trauma recovery, rosemary offers impressive benefits for everyone’s brain health. The herb contains 1,8-cineole, which prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine, a key brain chemical essential for learning and memory. Studies with healthy individuals show that simply inhaling rosemary’s scent can improve memory performance and concentration. University students taking rosemary supplements for one month demonstrated significantly enhanced memory abilities compared to those taking placebos.
Rosemary also helps reduce stress and anxiety by lowering cortisol levels, while its antioxidant properties protect against age-related cognitive decline. Ancient Greek students wore rosemary garlands during exams to boost focus, and Shakespeare called it “the herb of remembrance” – wisdom that modern research now validates.
Whether recovering from brain injury or simply seeking to optimize cognitive function, rosemary represents a natural, accessible option for brain health. However, those with medical conditions should consult healthcare providers before using rosemary therapeutically.
Just as it assists in other medical issues & care, artificial intelligence is a significant aide in the short & long term outcomes of those with a brain injury. In March 2025, the NIH released a comprehensive evaluation of such information. This report links to 134 references that provide more information on said topic. (I am quite happy that I came across this page. This weekend, I will be looking through some of the linked studies.)
On Monday evening, those is the NYC Tristate area were aghast at the report of a Midtown Manhattan mass shooting that left 5 people dead, including the shooter. In a 3-page note found at the scene, the 27-year-old male shooter claims to have suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, writing, “Study my brain please… I’m sorry.” While CTE does not lessen the horror of the shooter’s actions, it could explain why these actions were taken by a man described by a former coach as, “a quiet kid, well-mannered, very coachable.”
Government-funded studies have shown that high school football can cause neurological trauma. NYC Mayor Adams confirmed, “We’re looking at his note that talked about CTE… but it is far from conclusive.” CTE does affect impulse control. The shooter, though, had the foresight to book and take a trip from Las Vegas to NYC, NFL headquarters, and to purchase a high-powered rifle. Additionally, his letter reveals that his sense of right and wrong was intact.
NOTE: I choose not to post any statements related to said incident from any of the current candidates for NYC Mayor. Eric Adams’ statement was specifically related to his mayoral duties.
(The accompanying link is still relevant to the current NYC occurrence. Of course, new research has been done, and new conclusions have been reached, since it was first posted in 2018.)
