In a study of martial art and boxing athletes, who sustained repeated sub-concussive blows, it was found that the brain blood barrier, a protective highly regulated gateway into the central nervous system (the spine in the brain) was found to be damaged by trauma. The brain does not like large molecules. You may have heard that certain compounds can make their way to the brain. With a tear or leak in the protective system during trauma or MS, the brain becomes inflamed when large molecules enter the system that should not be in the system. In the near future new technology regarding MRI will enable patients to determine if the BBB is torn or not.