NFL Hall-of-Famer Joe DeLamielleure volunteered to participate in a series of Quadrant Biosciences studies that use saliva as concussion diagnostic material, CBS New York reports.
Here are five details:
1. Mr. DeLamielleure, 67, spent 12 years playing in the NFL as an offensive lineman.
2. In 2013, Mr. DeLamielleure became one of the first living former NFL players to undergo a brain scan that showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
3. The saliva study requires a mouth swab, which is then analyzed for micro-RNAs that are released when the brain is concussed.
4. Researchers have found saliva testing is nearly 90 percent accurate in identifying concussions in children and adolescents.
5. With the results of the study, Quadrant Biosciences and the NFL Hall of Fame Players Foundation hope to diagnose concussions earlier as well as track the effectiveness of treatments for brain damage such as CTE.