Doctor describes Benoit brain injury ATLANTA - Pro wrestler Chris Benoit suffered brain damage from his years in the ring that could help explain why he killed his wife, son and himself, a doctor who studied Benoit's brain said Wednesday.

The analysis by doctors affiliated with the Sports Legacy Institute suggests repeated concussions could have contributed to the killings at Benoit's suburban Atlanta home.

The wrestler's father, Michael Benoit, told reporters Wednesday that he knows his son had concussions because his son told him so. But he also said he knows of no medical records or records kept by the wrestling league to support the diagnosis.

Steroid use also has lingered as a theory behind the killings, since anabolic steroids were found in Chris Benoit's home and tests conducted by authorities showed Benoit had roughly 10 times the normal level of testosterone in his system when he died.

The institute, which researches the long-term effects of concussions, coordinated the testing using samples of Benoit's brain tissue provided by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The Waltham, Mass.-based institute's president is former pro wrestler Christopher Nowinski, who has said he had to quit the ring after a kick to the head. Nowinski still has ties with World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., which runs the league he and Benoit were in.

A lawyer for Stamford, Conn.-based WWE did not immediately return a call Wednesday seeking comment. The company has maintained steroid use did not cause Benoit to snap.

Despite the results of the institute's tests, there was no way to know if Benoit's concussions contributed to the murder-suicide, said Dr. Robert Cantu, a member of the institute who also is chief of neurosurgery service at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Mass.

"Whether it is the sole factor I believe is speculation and I will not go there," Cantu said by phone.

The level of brain damage Benoit had can cause depression and irrational behavior, Cantu said.

Benoit's brain showed the same degenerative processes that doctors working for the institute found in the brains of three men who had played pro football and committed suicide, Cantu said. There were abnormal protein deposits caused by trauma to Benoit's brain, Cantu said.

There's no evidence that steroid use causes such protein deposits, Cantu said, though he noted the issue has not been exhaustively studied.

Investigators allowed the institute to test Benoit's brain tissue with the permission of his father, who lives near Edmonton in Ardrossan, Alberta.

Michael Benoit said Wednesday that he agreed to the testing because murder-suicide was out of character for his son. He also disclosed that after the killings, he discovered a diary written by his son that showed his son was having problems.

"After reading the diary, I would have thought it was written by someone who was extremely disturbed at the time," Michael Benoit said.

He did not elaborate, but he did say a friend told him that prior to the murder-suicide, Chris Benoit had been wearing a rosary, which he said was also out of character.

"I think it's the extreme that is in the wrestling industry today," he told reporters. "The human skull is not built to get hit by a chair or something."



The father said he has not discussed with his attorney whether to take any legal action against the WWE or anyone else in the case. His attorney, Cary Ichter, said that at a later time he "will give thoughtful consideration" to appropriate steps to take in the "legal arena."

Nowinski said concussions can happen in pro wrestling even though many of the moves are staged.

"I got four concussions in three years as a professional wrestler," said Nowinski, who works for the WWE on its initiative to encourage young people to vote. "A lot of concussions happen from mistakes."

Prosecutors have said Benoit, 40, strangled his wife with a cord, used a choke hold to strangle his 7-year-old son, placed Bibles next to the bodies and hanged himself on a piece of exercise equipment the weekend of June 22. Authorities have said Benoit's personal doctor, Phil Astin, prescribed a 10-month supply of anabolic steroids to Benoit every three to four weeks between May 2006 and May 2007. Astin has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of improperly prescribing painkillers and other drugs to two patients other than Benoit

ABC News is confirming that tests conducted by Julian Bailes of the Sports Legacy Institute show that Chris Benoit's brain was severely damaged at the time he murdered his wife and son before taking his own life. According to the tests his brain resembled that of an 85-year-old Alzheimer's patient. Bailes said that the damage was the result of lifetime chronic concussions and head trauma.

Chris Benoit was famous for his flying headbutt, which is a lot of stress on the brain each time the maneuver is pulled off. While nothing can justify his actions, this at least helps the coping process.

yea such a sad thing I think using weapons is evil the ladder is aluminum supposedly
but the chairs are real they need to do away with chairs it's not wrestling anyways

Bruno Sammartino champion of 8 years turned down to be in the hall of fame

though back to benoit yes I mean they don't even have a union vince didn't even
think for one second of considering an off season.

Also I thought the ring has flex bems to absorb the impact I guess not???

ONe of his major moves was a flying headbutt. HE hit his head atleast once a show. I wish that the WWE would still recognize him, even if he did kill his wife and kid. If he did id because of deminished impulse controle due to Brain damage, wouldn't they be liable?

There needs to be solid proof to explain why he killed his family besides the fact he's a psycho.

The Los Angeles Times has published an article today talking about the findings of damage to Chris Benoit's brain, as reported yesterday. In the article WWE responded by saying

"Today's attempt to explain that Chris Benoit's murder of his family was possibly caused by some form of dementia as a result of alleged concussions is speculative. WWE can certainly understand the anguish of a father having to deal with the fact that his son allegedly murdered his wife and young son, as Chris Benoit is alleged to have done. We respect the desire of that father to do whatever he can to find some explanation as to why his son might commit such horrible acts."

clearly they knew!

Ok i've heard of people killing themselves (one of the problems in the NFL now) but there needs to be solid proof that this could have caused the murders. But again it sounds like the wwe is trying to avoid any responsibility when they do have some.

Well banging yuor head about that many times for years like that cant be good thats hota do stuff but still there was clearly something wrong else where in his mind to even do that.

true point.

just don't think he sould be erased, is all

Yeah i get what you mean its hard for me just to ignore all the coll matches he was in not to mention what a great athlete he was its like i dont want to think about what he did .


But in wrestling he was great but in da real world he is just a evil murderer.

i know. i like to watch onld wrestling PPVs and he's like always on them. it's hard to ignore how good he was

I know i liked him in wrestling too .Its anoying that he had to do what he did.