NASCAR Driver with MS Helps Dispel Stereotypes….. Auto racing, particularly “endurance races” that last for several hours, require a high degree of physical and mental stamina, the capacity for intense and sustained concentration, rapid data analysis/synthesis, quick problem solving, and, most obviously, very fast but controlled visuomotor reactions. Multiple Sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease affecting the white matter in the brain, can have an adverse effect on many cognitive functions but is notorious for producing fatigue, poor concentration, slowed processing speed, and potentially slowed psychomotor speed, depending on the lesion burden a patient is experiencing at any given time. In other words, all the most critical skills required for this sport. Trevor Bayne, a young but already successful NASCAR driver, recently announced that after monitoring symptoms over the last few years he was diagnosed with MS in July of this year. He remains healthy and reports that he feels good. This announcement should be a reminder to clinicians and to individuals with MS that such a diagnosis does not necessarily equal impairment, dysfunction, or the need for alteration in professional or personal goals. As clinicians think about their patients, they need to remember that it is certainly possible and, indeed, quite common for individuals with a range of various central neurological conditions to perform quite well in their personal and professional lives. As for individuals with MS, they should feel heartened at Mr. Bayne’s current success in the face of an illness that “should” compromise every aspect of the skills necessary for success at his level of performance. Mr. Bayne is complimented for announcing his diagnosis. Sharing with the public that an individual with this (or any) neurological condition can perform at an extraordinary level will go a long way to dispelling stereotypes about what individuals with MS can or cannot do. The Public and Professional Information Committee msn.foxsports/nascar/story/sprint-cup-nationwide-series-driver-trevor-bayne-diagnosed-multiple-sclerosis-can-continue-racing-111213#!n4HiT
Posted on: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 12:42:27 +0000
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