How fruit fries may be able to teach us about football injuries | Free | apg-wi.com

Fruit flies and humans may have more in common than you think. Flies were used during early research into human genetics, said Doug Brusich. The assistant professor at UW-Green Bay, is among a group of researchers who now use the insect to study traumatic brain injuries. Their findings could have implications for athletes. Brusich co-authored a paper published last year in the journal Fly focusing on the effects of repetitive, mild brain injuries — the same type that might be suffered by offensive or defensive linemen. The researchers found mild brain injuries in quick succession have a compounding affect, which they referred to as synergistic, and can cause the same level of impairment as a single more severe injury. Source: How fruit fries may be able to teach us about football injuries | Free | apg-wi.com