Benoit's Brain Was Severely Damaged

[Mo Z. Dizzle]

Source ABCNews.com

ABC News is confirming that tests conducted by Julian Bailes of the Sports Legacy Institute show that Chris Benoit’s brain was severely damaged at the time he murdered his wife and son before taking his own life. According to the tests his brain resembled that of an 85-year-old Alzheimer's patient. Bailes said that the damage was the result of lifetime chronic concussions and head trauma.

Chris Benoit was famous for his flying headbutt, which is a lot of stress on the brain each time the maneuver is pulled off. While nothing can justify his actions, this at least helps the coping process.


http://nodq.com/wwe/191008993.shtml

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Yea, crazy...Here's a longer article on it:

Doctor describes Benoit brain injury

By HARRY R. WEBER, Associated Press Writer
54 minutes ago

ATLANTA - Pro wrestler Chris Benoit suffered brain damage from his years in the ring that could help explain why he killed his wife, son and himself, a doctor who studied Benoit's brain said Wednesday.

The analysis by doctors affiliated with the Sports Legacy Institute suggests repeated concussions could have contributed to the killings at Benoit's suburban Atlanta home.

The wrestler's father, Michael Benoit, told reporters Wednesday that he knows his son had concussions because his son told him so. But he also said he knows of no medical records or records kept by the wrestling league to support the diagnosis.

Steroid use also has lingered as a theory behind the killings, since anabolic steroids were found in Chris Benoit's home and tests conducted by authorities showed Benoit had roughly 10 times the normal level of testosterone in his system when he died.

The institute, which researches the long-term effects of concussions, coordinated the testing using samples of Benoit's brain tissue provided by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The Waltham, Mass.-based institute's president is former pro wrestler Christopher Nowinski, who has said he had to quit the ring after a kick to the head. Nowinski still has ties with World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., which runs the league he and Benoit were in.

A lawyer for Stamford, Conn.-based WWE did not immediately return a call Wednesday seeking comment. The company has maintained steroid use did not cause Benoit to snap.

Despite the results of the institute's tests, there was no way to know if Benoit's concussions contributed to the murder-suicide, said Dr. Robert Cantu, a member of the institute who also is chief of neurosurgery service at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Mass.

"Whether it is the sole factor I believe is speculation and I will not go there," Cantu said by phone.

The level of brain damage Benoit had can cause depression and irrational behavior, Cantu said.

Benoit's brain showed the same degenerative processes that doctors working for the institute found in the brains of three men who had played pro football and committed suicide, Cantu said. There were abnormal protein deposits caused by trauma to Benoit's brain, Cantu said.

There's no evidence that steroid use causes such protein deposits, Cantu said, though he noted the issue has not been exhaustively studied.

Investigators allowed the institute to test Benoit's brain tissue with the permission of his father, who lives near Edmonton in Ardrossan, Alberta.

Michael Benoit said Wednesday that he agreed to the testing because murder-suicide was out of character for his son. He also disclosed that after the killings, he discovered a diary written by his son that showed his son was having problems.

"After reading the diary, I would have thought it was written by someone who was extremely disturbed at the time," Michael Benoit said.

He did not elaborate, but he did say a friend told him that prior to the murder-suicide, Chris Benoit had been wearing a rosary, which he said was also out of character.

"I think it's the extreme that is in the wrestling industry today," he told reporters. "The human skull is not built to get hit by a chair or something."

The father said he has not discussed with his attorney whether to take any legal action against the WWE or anyone else in the case. His attorney, Cary Ichter, said that at a later time he "will give thoughtful consideration" to appropriate steps to take in the "legal arena."

Nowinski said concussions can happen in pro wrestling even though many of the moves are staged.

"I got four concussions in three years as a professional wrestler," said Nowinski, who works for the WWE on its initiative to encourage young people to vote. "A lot of concussions happen from mistakes."

Prosecutors have said Benoit, 40, strangled his wife with a cord, used a choke hold to strangle his 7-year-old son, placed Bibles next to the bodies and hanged himself on a piece of exercise equipment the weekend of June 22.

Authorities have said Benoit's personal doctor, Phil Astin, prescribed a 10-month supply of anabolic steroids to Benoit every three to four weeks between May 2006 and May 2007. Astin has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of improperly prescribing painkillers and other drugs to two patients other than Benoit.

[rik]

Crazy shit.

[Sikotic™]

No surprise here. Concussions + injuries + steroids + painkillers + the other stresses of life cannot leave you in a very good mindstate.

Vince needs to stop demanding so much of his stars.

[rik]

No surprise here. Concussions + injuries + steroids + painkillers + the other stresses of life cannot leave you in a very good mindstate.

Vince needs to stop demanding so much of his stars.

They should have seasons in wrestling, like they do with other sports.

[Shallow]

I said it before and I'll say it again. Rest In Peace Chris Benoit.

[MontrealCity's Most]

You cant realy do season tho.

Wiht all the talent they have they could easily rotate guys around more nd have lot less ppvs, less shows.

Go back to having maybe not 4 but say 6 ppvs a year.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Do they still have 12?

[MontrealCity's Most]

Do they still have 12?

man i think they have like 15

[Fuck Your Existence]

fuck that,if i was wrestling id be lookin for a career change...nothins worth taking risks like that.

[Mo Z. Dizzle]

yeah 15 PPVs; they might be cutting it down soon though; i read Cyber Sunday might be eliminated as PPV and used as one of the special shows or something.

i think they should go for about 8 PPVs at the most; it can build better and longer storylines and they might even get more buys since there wouldn't be a PPV every 3 weeks.

WWE should have banned the flying headbutt as one of the moves; they've banned several other high flying moves which seem far less dangerous, and wouldn't result in concussions or anything if performed properly.

[WestCoasta]

anyone ever think that football is worse for your head than wrestling?

[Fuck Your Existence]

anyone ever think that football is worse for your head than wrestling?

no doubt there are risks...there are risks in any sport..i just think jumping from the top of a ladder head first is an unnecessary one. 

[Lunatic]

WOW...

F
U
C
K
E
D

U
P

 

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Do they still have 12?

man i think they have like 15

WTF? So they have PPV's where there is 2 in a month? LOL.