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‘Effects of head trauma': Retired NHLers take part in brain study

Minnesota Wild v Pittsburgh Penguins

PITTSBURGH - DECEMBER 8: Ryan VandenBussche #37 of the Pittsburgh Penguins gets into a fight with Alex Henry #36 of the Minnesota Wild during the first period at Mellon Arena on December 8, 2005 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

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A group of retired National Hockey Players, including Ryan VandenBussche, took part in a brain study at Toronto’s Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, as per an article in the Globe and Mail.

“Today, we’re learning a lot more about the effects of head trauma in later years, and I’m in the Baycrest study because I want to stay on top of the knowledge that is coming out,” VandenBussche told the Globe and Mail.

“I want to help myself, and if I can provide information that others in the future can use to learn, I really want to do that.”

VandenBussche entered the NHL during the 1996-97 season and was known more as an enforcer, with 702 penalty minutes in 310 games in the league.

Studies into concussions continue to expose the long-term and potentially devastating effects of head trauma.

In September of 2010, after he had passed away, Bob Probert’s brain was donated to Sports Legacy Institute.

The study showed Probert had Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease.