The Australian Football League and the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health today announced a research initiative targeting former AFL players as part of the ongoing scientific research into concussion and mild traumatic brain injury.
The AFL, in conjunction with the Florey and the AFL Players Association, will commence an online survey of former AFL/VFL players to further increase knowledge and awareness of concussion issues, particularly the potential long term impact of sport related concussion.
Approximately 2035 former players registered with the AFLPA will be asked, via the AFLPA’s online monthly newsletter, to participate in the short 10-15 minute online survey next month.
Respondents’ feedback will be evaluated by medical representatives of the AFL and the Florey, will remain confidential and will determine the need for further assessment and screening.
Former players not registered with the AFLPA are encouraged to contact the AFLPA, or their former AFL/VFL club or the AFL itself to take part.
AFL Medical Director, Dr Peter Harcourt, said that former AFL players were a valuable resource in the effort to build scientific knowledge on the potential long term effects of concussion.
“The management of concussion remains an issue of increasing concern for sportspeople at elite and sub-elite levels everywhere,” Dr Harcourt said.
“It is a key health and welfare issue for Australian footballers, past and present, which requires a measured, informed and scientific approach.
“Sports on a global scale are grappling with the issue of concussion and one of the most valuable resources we have at our disposal are the past players who can provide an insight into their own experiences.
“Through this survey we are looking to build on our knowledge base by engaging former players across a range of age brackets. The survey is simple to complete and requires participants to answer a series of health-related questions.
“At this stage the scope of the survey is to gain a greater understanding of the perceptions of past AFL players to create a database for more scientific examination, such as former players who require more in depth assessment.”
In March this year, the AFL announced a collaborative partnership with the Florey to better understand the causes and long term impacts of concussion by utilising the latest imaging technology and other advanced scientific techniques, as well as liaising with global experts in the field.
“Through the partnership with the Florey Institute, one of the world’s leading brain research institutes, and with the support of the AFLPA, we aim to engage as many past players as possible to build on the information we already have,” Dr Harcourt added.
Dr Harcourt said the survey was another step in the AFL’s long standing focus on concussion management and research.
“The survey is a continuation of a series of proactive efforts by the AFL over many years to increase knowledge and awareness of concussion issues and, more recently, to modify the rules of the game to better protect the head and neck of players.
“In addition to maintaining a strong focus on cutting edge analysis and imaging of current AFL players, we are looking to study former players to further improve our understanding of the potential longer term effects of concussion.
“This survey will add to the bank of knowledge already established from the long term research studies carried out by Dr Michael Makdissi, the longitudinal work carried out by Dr David Maddocks and the other long range research projects we’ve undertaken since our concussion research began almost three decades ago.
“We have many of the world’s leading authorities on concussion involved in the AFL/Florey partnership and we see this survey as a progressive step in our research. Ultimately the information compiled will benefit both current and former AFL players whilst informing the issue more broadly.
“Our partnership with the Florey provides access to world leading technology and ensures current and former AFL players have access to the latest research findings and scanning procedures.
“There continues to be much speculation about the long term effects of concussion on athletes, particularly in light of diagnoses of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in former NFL players in the United States.
“Australian football is a very different sport, however, the concern of past and present AFL players is understandable which is why the AFL and the Florey continues to undertake important research.
“This survey is one of a number of AFL concussion projects currently underway and we are looking to attract further funding towards this important field of research.”
The Scientific Committee, responsible for structuring the AFL/Florey partnership’s research and projects, includes many of the world’s foremost experts in concussion such as Associate Professor Paul McCrory, Dr Michael Makdissi and Associate Professor Gavin Davis as well as AFL Medical Directors Dr Peter Harcourt, Dr Harry Unglik and Dr Andrew Daff from the AFL Players Association.
The collaboration is the first of its kind and plans to work over the next 5-10 years to enhance the current range of projects to:
- attract significant funding to enable a coordinated and comprehensive research program;
- improve screening processes to identify players at risk of longer term issues; and
- enhance decision-making about concussed players returning to play or training.
The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
The Florey is one of the largest brain research institutes in the world and employs 450 neuroscientists across two state-of-the-art research facilities at the University of Melbourne in Parkville and at the Austin Hospital in Heidelberg. It is internationally recognised as a leader in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologies, with highly skilled staff recruited from the UK and US. The Institute also collaborates with researchers in 32 countries and its scientific publications are the third most cited by other scientists. The Florey addresses a variety of conditions and disease states such as stroke, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, motor neuron disease, traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, depression and addiction.
