MOST WATCHED STATION.
THIS IS WCCO 4 NEWS.
A MILLION VISITORS ARE
EXPECTED TO THE TWIN CITIES
DURING THE WEEK LEADING UP TO
THE SUPER BOWL IN FEBRUARY.
MANY OF THEM ARE FORMER
PLAYERS AND PEOPLE WITH TIES TO
THE NFL.
THAT'S WHY HENNEPIN COUNTY
MEDICAL CENTER IS TEAMING UP
WITH THE NFL ALUMNI EVENT TO
HOLD AN EVENT CALLED SUPER
BRAIN 2018.
IT'S A FUNDRAISER FOR THE BRAIN
HOSPITAL RESEARCH LAB.
ANGELA DAVIS SHOWS US WHAT'S
HAPPENING THERE TO TRY TO MAKE
FOOTBALL SAFER.
Reporter: FORMER GOPHER AND
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS PLAYER BENNU
TECH PROUD BY SPORTS A SUPER
BOWL RING AND SPEAKS ABOUT THE
CONCUSSIONS HE SUFFERED ALONG
WITH AMNESIA.
I REMEMBER ALL VISION
COMPLETELY GOING BLACK AND IT
WAS ALMOST LIKE THE SOUND OF
PEOPLE'S VOICES AROUND ME
BECAME MUFFLED LIKE THEY WERE
TALKING INTO A CAN.
Reporter: HE IS JOINING A
NEUROSURGEON IN RAISING
AWARENESS ABOUT BRAIN INJURY
RESEARCH TAKING PLACE AT HCMC.
THEY ARE EXPLORING NEW WAYS OF
DIAGNOSING BRAIN INJURY LIKE
EYE MOVEMENT.
BECAUSE IT'S SO TIGHTLY
COORDINATED AND COORDINATION
OCCURS WITHOUT OUR THINKING
ABOUT IT, WE CAN ASSESS EYE
MOVEMENTS TO DETECT BRAIN
INJURY.
Reporter: THEY ARE ALSO
USING BLOOD TESTS TO FIGURE OUT
WHICH CELLS ARE INJURED AND
COMPARING MRIs TO LOOK AT
DIFFERENT PATTERNS OF INJURY IN
THE BRAIN.
THE CONCUSSION DEBATE IN THE
NFL IS LIKE A DARK CLOUD THAT
HANGS OVER THE GAME.
U TECH SAYS IT'S POSSIBLE TO BE
PRO GAME AND PRO BRAIN.
A MESSAGE THAT EDUCATES AND
AT THE SAME TIME CELEBRATES THE
GAME THAT WE WILL BE WATCHING
FIVE DAYS LATER, I THINK WE
WIN.
THE EYES OF THE WORLD WILL
BE ON MINNEAPOLIS SO WE WANT TO
USE THAT SPOTLIGHT TO
CAPITALIZE THE ISSUES THAT ARE
VERY IMPORTANT TO THE
PARTICIPANTS IN THAT GAME.
THE DOCTOR IS HOPING TO
RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS FOR CURRENT
AND FUTURE CONCUSSION STUDIES.
IDEALLY, FORMER NFL PLAYERS AND
THEIR SIBLINGS SO THEY CAN,
RESEARCHers can compare them.
It is open to the Port public
and taking place January 31st
IN MINNEAPOLIS FOUR DAYS BEFORE
THE GAME.
IF YOU CAN'T GET SUPER BOWL
TICKETS, YOU CAN GO TO SUPER
BRAIN.
