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UVa researchers study effects of hard hitting sports on the brain

By Michelle Murillo

CHARLOTTSVILLE, Va. – How do hard hits on the sports field affect athletes’ brains? That’s the question Dr. Jason Druzgal, assistant professor of neuroradiology at the University of Virginia’s School of Medicine, wants to answer.

“[We’re studying to] see if we can detect any effects of repeated sub-concussive hits to the head, before somebody gets too old, ” Druzgal said.

They also want to find “better ways to diagnose concussion around the time that the concussions happen,” he said.

They’ve recruited several athlete volunteers, who play sports like football, soccer and lacrosse, at college and high school levels. Using a patch from Seattle based company X2 Biosystems, researchers affix adhesive sensors behind the ears of players.

“We can get a record over the course of the season of who is getting hit harder and more often to the head,” Druzgal said.

Historically, sensors have only been attached to helmets, but Druzgal said athletes who play all kinds of sports can wear the patches.

They hope the results will fill a void in the medical research community.

“We don’t have any sort of physiologic markers that we can measure as people are going through a career to see if any changes are happening in their brain that we should be concerned about,” Druzgal said.

The information from the sensors will be used with the results of advanced MRI scans taken at the beginning and the end of the season.

“What we’re looking for is what their baseline brain function is before an athletic season, and we’re also measuring them again at the end of the season,” Druzgal said.

Lately several former NFL players have claimed they suffer from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) from what doctors suspect are years of taking big hits on the field.

Druzgal said the data may show that safety rules need to be tightened during games.

“What I am hoping to find is that we can make the game safer for some people,” Druzgal said.

There isn’t a lot of data when it comes to female sports because of the limitations of helmet-based sensors in the past. Druzgal says this study will be able to include women who play sports like lacrosse and soccer and offer new insight into the effects of high impact sports on the female body.

Druzgal says Virginia researchers began collecting results and monitoring athletes back in July. They hope to begin releasing their findings from the study next year.

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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