Concussion (book)

Concussion (book)
Name	Concussion
Author	Jeanne Marie Laskas
Country	United States
Language	English
Subject	Neuroscience; American football; Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Genre	Nonfiction; Investigative journalism; Biography
Publisher	Crown Publishing Group
Pub date	2015
Pages	320
Isbn	978-0-8041-9192-0

Concussion (book) is a 2015 nonfiction work by journalist Jeanne Marie Laskas that chronicles the investigation into chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the neurologist Bennet Omalu, and the National Football League's response to brain injury research. The book weaves biography, science reporting, and institutional history to trace how postmortem neuropathological findings in professional athletes intersected with media, legal, and medical institutions. Laskas situates Omalu's discoveries within broader threads linking Pittsburgh medical practice, the National Football League's cultural prominence, and debates in neuroscience and public health.

Background and context

Laskas, a contributor to The New York Times Magazine and GQ, developed the narrative after reporting on postmortem diagnoses of CTE in former National Football League players such as Mike Webster, Terry Long, and Andre Waters. The book arrives amid escalating scrutiny following lawsuits brought by thousands of former players against the National Football League Players Association and the NFL Players Association having negotiated a settlement with the National Football League; legal developments are tied to litigation previously overseen in federal courts in Philadelphia and reported by outlets including The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. Scientific context includes work by neuropathologists at institutions like the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and debates in journals such as JAMA and The New England Journal of Medicine about repetitive head trauma, tauopathy, and neurodegeneration.

Content summary

The book opens with Omalu's background: his upbringing in Nigeria, medical education at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and immigration to the United States, connecting to figures and places such as Pittsburgh Steelers coaches and facilities where he performed autopsies. Laskas narrates Omalu's 2002 identification of CTE in the brain of former center Mike Webster, detailing neuropathological techniques, staining for tau protein pathology, and the process of submitting findings to peer-reviewed venues. Subsequent chapters follow other cases, including the postmortem analyses of Junior Seau and Justin Strzelczyk, and describe interactions with researchers at centers such as the Kessler Foundation and universities including Boston University where researchers like Ann McKee expanded CTE case series.

Laskas profiles institutional responses: the National Football League's Medical and Safety Committee, media spokespeople, and litigators for plaintiff classes in mass tort actions lodged in federal courts presided over by judges in jurisdictions like U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. She recounts Omalu's public testimony, academic disputes over diagnostic criteria, and efforts by organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health to fund concussion research. The narrative balances technical exposition with human stories of former players, family members, and clinicians.

Themes and analysis

Major themes include scientific skepticism versus institutional self-interest, exemplified by conflicts between Omalu and the National Football League and its allies; the book interrogates how authority and reputation operate within medicine and sports. Laskas examines migration and identity through Omalu's Nigerian heritage and assimilation into American professional networks involving hospitals like Allegheny General Hospital and universities such as Drexel University. Ethical themes touch on informed consent, manifested in youth and collegiate athletics overseen by entities like the National Collegiate Athletic Association and high-profile programs at Ohio State University and University of Michigan. The work also analyzes media framing by outlets including Time (magazine), Sports Illustrated, and broadcast networks like ESPN that shaped public perception and policy debates.

Laskas's analysis addresses methodological issues in neuropathology: case-series limitations, selection bias from brain banks such as those associated with Boston University and controversies in establishing diagnostic criteria across institutions. The book situates personal tragedy—dementia, mood disorders, suicide—within neuropathological findings, linking individual narratives to broader policy shifts in concussion protocols adopted by the National Football League and collegiate conferences like the Southeastern Conference.

Publication and editions

Concussion was published by Crown Publishing Group in 2015 in hardcover, followed by paperback and audiobook editions. The audiobook featured narration by actors and journalists with production by major publishers. Special editions and translations circulated in markets where contact sports such as Canadian Football and Rugby union prompt similar concerns. Subsequent printings included updated prefaces reflecting ongoing litigation outcomes and emergent research published in periodicals like Neurology and Brain.

Reception and critical response

The book received attention from national reviewers in outlets including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Guardian, where critics debated Laskas's portrayal of Omalu, the depth of institutional critique, and her treatment of scientific nuance. Scholarly reception noted the book's contribution to public understanding while some neuroscientists in journals such as Nature and Science critiqued emphases on anecdotal case histories versus population-level epidemiology. The narrative garnered awards and nominations in nonfiction categories from organizations like the National Book Critics Circle and featured on bestseller lists compiled by The New York Times Best Seller list.

Adaptations and cultural impact

Laskas's book served as the basis for the 2015 feature film Concussion, produced by Sony Pictures and starring Will Smith as Omalu, which amplified public awareness alongside documentaries airing on HBO and investigative segments on 60 Minutes. The cultural impact included policy changes: enhanced concussion protocols in the National Football League, the introduction of baseline testing programs involving companies like ImPACT Applications, Inc., and reforms in youth sports endorsed by organizations such as Pop Warner. The book influenced academic curricula in journalism and public health programs at institutions like Columbia University and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Category:Books about sports Category:2015 non-fiction books