Now some scientists are using an NFL-backed technology to examine blood samples for proteins that have been shown to correlate with concussion and other injuries. One of the most intriguing of these proteins, which could help create better tests for traumatic brain injury, is called neurofilament light — or, as it’s known for short, NFL. That’s right, a protein called “NFL” may wind up helping the NFL address its most vexing medical problem. Thus, if tau or NF-L is found in blood, it can be an indication that the brain has suffered axonal damage. In the meantime, the NFL will “go where the science goes,” Miller said of possibly administering blood tests on sidelines.

Source: Washington Post March 27, 2017 12:00 UTC