Local Neurologist Continues Testing Technology for Concussions

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Football season is now underway and player safety is top of mind.

Cutting edge technology created by Dr. Rosa Bell in Montgomery, is helping to assess concussions in real-time.

“If they get a possible concussion we can look at their brainwaves and help the trainer and coach determine if a concussion is very, very probable,” said Bell.

This year, Bell plans to use the technology on the entire Alabama State University football team. Last year 22 ASU players were tested.

“We accessed a concussion objectively,” said Bell.

Since that time, Dr. bell says new information has emerged.

“In the arena for neurology, there has been so much more discovered,” said Bell.

She has also learned that this technology goes beyond accessing concussions.

“One of the things that we also have learned is, if it is a more ominous injury like a brain bleed we can detect that in over 92% of the cases,” said Bell.

“The CDC estimates 1.8 to 3.6 million concussions a year that are just sports related or just recreational related,” said Bell.

Bell says over 50 percent of those concussions go undetected. That’s just one reason why she is also working to test the monitors not only on the collegiate level, but also with the pros.

“The NFLPA  right now is very interested in the data and also in the device and we are also in the process of working with a few other universities,” said Bell.

She says it’s all worth it to potentially save lives.

“It is quite alarming because now we’re learning so much more,” said Bell.

Bell says she is hoping to complete tests on all of ASU’s football players by  next month.