COMPANY, HAS FOLLOWED THE EXAMPLE OF ITS FOUNDER TO GIVE BACK TO OUR LOUISIANA COMMUNITIES WHERE WE LIVE AND WORK.

TO LEARN MORE, VISIT ROY OMAR TIN.COM.

THE LOUISIANA LOTTERY IS PROUD TO JOIN LPB IN HONORING THE 2018 LOUISIANA LEGENDS, CONTRIBUTING OWN $3.5 BILLION FOR LOUISIANA EDUCATION.

GIVING LOUISIANANS A REASON TO SMILE.

AND LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED HEALTH SYSTEM SERVING PATIENTS IN THE ARK-LA-TEX SINCE 1924.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO LOUISIANA LEGENDS.

I'M BETH COURTNEY AND TONIGHT WE'RE VISITING WITH RENOWNED NEUROSURGEON DR.

JULIAN BAILES.

GROWING UP IN LOUISIANA, JULIAN BAILES JUNIOR'S CHILDHOOD WAS FILLED WITH IDYLLIC TALES OF HUNTING AND FOOTBALL, WHERE HE PLAYED BOTH OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE LINEMEN.

HE WAS GOOD ATHLETE.

IF YOU ARE ON THE LINE, YOU'RE THE MAN.

THOSE ARE THE GUYS THAT REALLY FOUND A WAY AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT DON'T GET ALL THE CREDIT.

AFTER WINNING A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HIS SENIOR YEAR ATT THE ACADEMY, HE WAS HURT.

I THINK IT WAS A REALITY CHECK, THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT IT WAS, A DRAIN FOR HIS IDEA.

I THINK I, PROBABLY WITH MY DAD'S INFLUENCE, DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO BE SERIOUS AND, YOU KNOW, DO WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO TO PREPARE FOR A CAREER.

HE HANDLED IT REALLY WELL.

JULIAN MOVED ON TO MEDICINE AND WOULD BECOME ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED NEUROSURGEONS IN THE WORLD.

TO MIKE A COMPARISON TO THE NFL, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SLOUCH, YOU HAVE TO TWO GET THERE.

HE WOULD BE LIKE A PEYTON MANNING IN THE NFL, HE HAS REACHED THE TOP BECAUSE OF HIS BODY OF WORK.

HIS PASSION FOR FOOTBALL NEVER WANED THAN 1988, THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS HIRED HIM AS THE STEAM DOCTOR.

HE WAS NAMED TO CHAIR THE SCHOOL'S DEPARTMENT OF NEUROLOGY.

HIS RESEARCH HAS BEEN IN THE STUDY OF CTE, A PROGRESSIVE DEGENERATIVE BRAIN DISEASE FOUND IN INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO MULTIPLE CONCUSSIONS OR SUB CONCUSSION LOADS.

HIS CHARACTER PORTRAYED BY ALEC BALDWIN IN THE 2015 FEATURE FILM "CONCUSSIONS" WITH WILL SMITH WHO PLAYS THE NIGERIAN PATHOLOGIST.

THE TWO DOCTORS RAISED SERIOUS AND IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF FOOTBALL AND CHALLENGED THE NFL TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE LONG-TERM HEALTH RISKS FACING ITS PLAYERS.

I THINK THAT THE DOCTOR WAS REALLY IN NEED OF SUPPORT.

HE HAD DONE HIS RESEARCH AND HE NEEDED SOMEBODY TO BELIEVE HIM.

AND JULIAN WAS THAT ONE WHO STEPPED UP TO DO IT WHEN MANY OTHERS DID NOT WANT TO STICK THEIR NECK OUT IN THAT AREA.

JULIAN HAD TO GO THROUGH SOME TOUGH TIME US WHEN START CLAIMING THAT FOOTBALL WAS -- AT HIS STATUS, YOU'RE FIGHTING A LOT OF BIG POWER, BIG MONEY PEOPLE AND CORPORATIONS AND BUSINESSES.

THE WORK THAT DR.

BAILES IS DOING IS GOING TO PRESERVE FOOTBALL BECAUSE HE'S MAKING IT SAFER, STARTING WITH POP WARNER.

AND POP WARNER HAS WORKED VERY HARD TO MAKE FOOTBALL SAFE TORE KIDS TO ENJOY.

AS THE NATION'S OLDEST YOUTH FOOTBALL PROGRAM, POPCORNER HAS WORKED TO MAKE IT SAFE FOR KIDS WITH RULE CHANGES AND ENHANCED EDUCATION.

HE GENUINELY WANTS TO SERVE.

HAS SERVANT'S HEART.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW THAT, BUT HE'S THE BEST BROTHER, I JUST LOVE HEM HIM SO MUCH.

IF YOU COULD INVENT THE TIME MACHINE AND CAN GO INTO THE FUTURE, HE WILL BE EVEN BIGGER THAN HE IS NOW BECAUSE HE'S THE GUY THAT SAVED PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL.

GLAD YOU ARE BACK HERE IN LOUISIANA.

WHAT BRINGS YOU HOME?

THIS TIME, I'M HERE TO WATCH LSU PLAY ALABAMA.

DO YOU OFTEN COME FOR FOOTBALL GAMES?

I TRY AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR, YES.

SO TELL US, WE SAW THAT YOU WERE BORN IN NACHADISH.

I WAS BORN IN ALEXANDRIA, ANDREW UP IN DIFFERENT PLACES, PRIMARILY NATCHITOCHES.

DID MY BEST IMPRESSION ON THE CANE RIVER.

GOT A BOAT IN THE SIXTH GRADE AND CAMPED OUT AND FISHED AND CAUGHT TURTLES AND ANYTHING ELSE I COULD DO AT THAT TIME.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST THINK YOU WANTED TO BE A PHYSICIAN?

I THINK IT WAS THE PROCESS OF ELIMINATION, I FELT FINISHING HIGH SCHOOL I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY TALENT IN ANYTHING ELSE, EXCEPT PERHAPS SCIENCE AND THAT STARTED ME THINKING ABOUT THAT.

MY FATHER HAD BEEN A JUDGE FOR MANY YEARS, I THINK THE LONGEST-SERVING JUDGE IN LOUISIANA, ABOUT 50-YEARS AT ALL LEVELS FROM CITY COURT ALL THE WAY TO SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA.

SO I DID NOT HAVE ANY TALENT OR ACUMEN FOR LAW, AND AGAIN, THAT WAS PROCESS OF ELIMINATION.

YOUR FATHER WOULD BE A TOUGH JUDGE ON HIS CHILDREN.

HE WAS TOUGH ON ME.

I ALWAYS SAY I WAS PUT ON TRIAL MANY TIMES AT THE DINNER TABLE, SO I TRY TO KEEP MY HEAD DOWN AND AVOID ANY CONTROVERSY AS I COULD.

SO GOOD AT SCIENCE, AND WHEN YOU WENT TO LSU, MED SCHOOL, WAS IT WHAT YOU EXPECTED?

I LOVED IT AND I LOVED ALL ASPECTS OF IT.

AND I BELIEVE IN MED SCHOOL YOU CAN SORT OF SEE THE CLASS SORTING OUT EARLY ON.

THERE'S THE SURGEON, SURGEON WANNABES AND THE NON-SURGEON TYPES, THE FUTURE PEDIATRICIANS AND PSYCHOLOGIST AND RADIOLOGISTS AND PATHOLOGISTS.

I WAS SITTING WITH THE SURGEON PART OF THE CLASSROOM.

SORT OF THE TYPE-A SOME WOULD SAY, OR WIVES OF SURGEONS I'VE KNOWN AND WOMENS WHO ARE SURGEONS SAY PROBABLY SO.

NEUROSURGERY, THAT IS QUITE A SPECIALTY.

IT IS A GREAT SPECIALTY, ONE I LOVED FROM THE BEGINNING AND REALLY GROWN WITH THE EXPECTATION OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, THE BRAIN, THE SPINE.

SO, YEAH, I LOVED EVERY ABS EXPECT OF IT, IT WAS -- EVERY ASPECT OF IT, IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO TRAIN AND BECOME A NEUROSURGEON.

INTERESTING THING IN YOUR CAREER, GREAT WORLD WIDE FAME NOW BECAUSE AS WE WERE DOING THAT BIO, THE MOVIE CONCUSSION WAS COME OUGHT TANG SORT OF MARRIED AN EARLY LOVE OF -- COME OUT, AND IT SORT OF MARRIED AN EARLY LOVE OF FOOTBALL.

YOU PLAYED YOURSELF, YOU DID NOT?

I DID.

I PLAYED TEN-YEARS, I HAD A CAREER I SAID WHEN I RETURN HOME, NONE OF MY FAMILY OR FRIENDS, NONE CAN REMEMBER WITH ANY SPECIFICITY, BUT FOR ME IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF MY YOUTH AND STILL LOVE THE GAME.

AS I GOT OLDER THAN MY CAREER, I SAW AN OPPORTUNITY I HOPE WOOD HELP INCREASE OUR KNOWLEDGE AND THE SAFETY OF THE GAME.

DID YOU HAVE CONCUSSIONS WHEN YOU WERE PLAYING?

NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE.

FORTUNATELY.

SO THIS MOMENT IN TIME, WHEN YOU THEN BECAME AWARE OF THE FACT THAT MAYBE THERE WAS THIS CONNECTION BETWEEN CONCUSSIONS AND TRAUMA, I MEAN, THE MOVIE I SAW, WHICH WAS EXCELLENT AND I READ SOME MATERIAL ABOUT THE PREPARATION, BUT WHEN THIS DOCTOR, PATHOLOGIST, RIGHT.

CORRECT.

BROUGHT YOU INFORMATION THAT SAID THERE'S SOMETHING UNUSUAL GOING ON HERE WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST REACTION TO THAT?

WELL, WE HAD FIRST ACTUALLY REPORTED IT IN 2000, AND HE CAME OUT WITH THE FIRST YOU A TOPSY AUTOPSY OF AFORMER NFL PLAYER, , PLAYED FOR THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS, THAT HAD BRAIN DAMAGE THAT WAS SIMILAR TO AN ALZHEIMER'S-TYPE PICTURE.

GROWING UP, WE PLAYED FOOTBALL AND KNEW THERE WAS POTENTIAL FOR INJURIES AND SERIOUS INJURIES BUT WE DIDN'T FIND TO BECOME BRAIN DAMAGED YOUNG ADULTS THAT WAS THE PARADIGM SHIFT AND THAT WAS THE CALL TO ACTION, PARTICULAR LEE FOR THE SPORT ITSELF TO EVOLVE AND CHANGE AND DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO MAKE IT SAFER.

TERRY BRADSHAW TOLD ME, WHICH ASKED HIM ABOUT IT ONE TIME, IT WAS A DANGEROUS SPORT.

HE WAS VERY DISMISSIVE OF THIS KIND OF NEED TO WORRY ABOUT MAKE THINGS SAFER.

THAT WAS THE INITIAL REACTION WE GOT FROM ALL LEVELS AND LOT OF PEOPLE.

AND PEOPLE LIKE TERRY BRADSHAW WHO WERE GREAT PLAYERS WHO MADE THEIR LIVE AND THEIR FAME PLAYING IT I UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT ONCE WE UNDERSTOOD THERE WAS POTENTIAL FOR BRAIN DANGER NO ONE WANTS -- BRAIN DAMAGE NO ONE WANTS, WE HAD TO DO RULE CHANGES AND PRACTICE CHANGES AND EVERYTHING POSSIBLE, AND THAT'S BEEN DONE.

WHAT IS LEFT TO BE DONE, DO YOU THINK?

I'M NOT SURE THERE IS A LOT LEFT TO BE DONE, BECAUSE AT EVERY LEVEL FROM THE NFL DOWN TO YOUTH FOOTBALL WE'VE ELIMINATED A LOT OF PRACTICE CONTACT, MOST LEVELS DON'T HAVE MUCH CONTACT.

COACH TOLD ME THEY HAVE IN ALABAMA, ONLY FIVE FULL OUT RIGHT CONTACT PRACTICESES A YEAR NOW.

WE LOOKED AT ELIMINATING, AND IT HAS BEEN DONE THE OPEN FIELD HITS, HEAD-TO-HEAD HITS, TARGETING OF A DEFENSELESS PLAYER, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THE HELMET?

THE HELMET DOES NOT PREVENTION CONCUSSION BECAUSE THE HUMAN BRAIN FLOATS INSIDE THE SKULL, SO WHEN THERE IS A SUDDEN STOP, YOU CAN'T STOP IT FROM MOVING.

WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE COMPLETE PROTECTION AND COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE YOU HAVE TO DEFAULT TO AVOIDING EXPOSURE.

IF SOMEONE TELLS ME, DR.

BAILES, I DON'T WANT TO GET LUNG CANCER.

MY ANSWER WOULD BE, WHILE I DON'T KNOW ALL THE CARCINOGENS IN TOBACCO, HOW ABOUT NOT SPOKE.

ING.

THAT IS A EXPOSURE BASED, KNOWLEDGE WAY TO REACT.

AND POP WARNER, YOU WORK WITH THAT GROUP EXTENSIVELY, DON'T YOU?

YES, I AM THE HEAD OF THEIR MEDICAL COMMUNITY.

DO YOU FIND OTHER PEOPLE CHOOSING OTHER SPORTS NOW?

BUT MANY OF THEM HAVE CONTACT, AS WELL.

MY GRANDSON PLAYING LACROSSE AND THEY'RE SMACKING EACH OTHER IN THE HEAD, TOO.

ANY SPORT WITH THE MOVEMENT AND POTENTIAL FOR COLLISIONS HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAD INJURY.

IT IS THE REPETITIVE DONE TACT, THE SUB-CONCUSSIVE BLOWS IS SOCCER AS NUMBER ONE.

AND BASKETBALL.

LACROSSE, ICE HOCKEY, WRESTLING.

FOOTBALL HAS BEEN SINGLED OUT A LITTLE BIT UNFAIRLY AS WE'VE REALIZED THROUGH SCIENCE AND MEDICAL ADVANCES IT IS IMPORTANT TO AVOID HEAD CONTACT.

A LOT OF YOUR RESEARCH SHOULD HOLD FRUIT FOR HELPING IN IEDs WITH TROOPS COMING BACK, SAY, FROM WAR ZONES, I WOULD MANAGE.

THE MILITARY HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.

THE ISSUE IS NOT OCCASIONALLY HITTING YOUR HEAD, IT IS THE REPETITIVE NATURE AND THAT'S THE RUB IN SPORTS LIKE FOOTBALL AND OTHERS WHERE YOU HIT YOUR HEAD REPETTIVELY.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE KNOWN OR DIAGNOSED CONCUSSION.

SO, IN THE MILITARY, THEY ARE EXPOSED TO MULTIPLE, SOMETIMES DOZENS OF THESE EXPLOSIVE BLASTS AND THAT CAUSES IMPACT TO THE BRAIN, AS WELL.

SO, YES, SAME PHENOMENA.

SO MANY PEOPLE DO REPETITIVE TOURS OF DUTY, SO BUILDING UP, AS YOU'RE SAYING.

THEY DO, LIKE A LONG SPORTS CAREER.

WOW, THAT'S AMAZING.

SO WHEN YOU'RE NOT DOING SERIOUS WORK WHAT IS IT YOU ENJOY DOING?

WELL, I HAVE FIVE KIDS, SO I HAVE TO INDULGE WITH THEIR ACTIVITIES, WHICH FOR US RIGHT NOW IS PRIMARILY GOLF.

SO I ALWAYS THOUGHT GOLF WAS KIND OF A WASTE OF MY TIME BECAUSE I HAD NO TALENT, SO SOME GOLF AND WORK AS MY MAIN THING.

I'VE IN THE PAST ENJOYED BOXING AND MARTIAL ARTS, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT HAS PHYSICAL ASPECT TO THEM.

AND THAT'S BEEN PRETTY MUCH WITH THE SIX-DAY A WEEK JOB AS A NEUROSURGEON, MY LIFE.

DO YOU THINK YOU'RE EVER GOING TO RETIRE?

MY WIFE SAYS THAT WE HAVE SO MANY KIDS THAT THERE'S NO RETIREMENT FOR ME, I HAVE TO GO FROM MY LAST DAY OF WORK RIGHT TO THE NURSING HOME.

SO I HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT FAR YET.

DO YOU LOOK BACK ON IT AND THINK, I NEED TO GIVE SOME ADVICE TO SOME YOUNGER PEOPLE OR ADVICE TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT CAREERS OR DO YOU JUST ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE WHATEVER IS BEST FOR THEM?

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE?

MY KIDS, NONE OF THEM HAVE HAD ANY PREDELECTION FOR MEDICINE.

SO WE TRAINED, AFTER THE DOCTORS COMPLETED MEDICAL SCHOOL WE CAN TRAIN THEM TO BE NEUROSURGEON VOICE DO TEACHING IN THAT REGARD EVERY DAY.

WHAT FIELD ARE THEY INTERESTED IN IN YOUR CHILDREN.

GOLF NUMBER ONE.

NUMBER TWO, NUMBER THREE, I HAVE MY OLDEST SON'S MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AEN MY DAUGHTER IS IN COMMUNICATIONS SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE SO FAR.

WE SEE THAT, AS WELL.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, FOR THE PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA IT FEELS LIKE AS YOU COME BACK, DO YOU SENSE THE STATE HAS OPTIMISM OR WHAT IS YOUR IMPRESSION IN LOUISIANA?

YOU ARE A NATIVE SON, AND YET WHEN YOU RETURN WHAT IS YOUR IMPRESSION.

WELL, IMPRESSION IS IT IS STILL ONE OF THE GREATEST STATES IN THE COUNTRY AND MY FAVORITE STATE AND MY TRAINING AND MY OCCUPATION TOOK ME NORTH BUT I STILL COME BACK EVERY TIME GET A CHANCE, WHICH IS SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR.

AS PEOPLE MEET ME AROUND THE COUNTRY, THEY ALWAYS WANT TO TALK ABOUT LOUISIANA, AND SOME REASON I THINK AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME IF YOU'RE FROM LOUISIANA, YOU ARE A BIT OF A CHARACTER AT THE VERY LEAST.

SO I'M PROUD TO BE FROM LOUISIANA AND CHERISH MY AFFILIATION AND ROOTS HERE.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU THINK ABOUT MOST WHEN YOU SAY YOU LIKE IT, WHAT IS IT YOU LIKE ABOUT LOUISIANA.

PROBABLY NUMBER ONE, THE PEOPLE, AND CERTAINLY MY FRIENDS AND MY FAMILY WHO ARE HERE.

BUT THE OUTDOORS, THE LOVE FOR SPORTS.

THE PURITY OF THE OLD SOUTH.

SO, SO MANY THINGS THAT I THINK PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY REALIZE.

WELL I KNOW GROWING UP IT USED TO BE EVERYONE NOW HAS CRAWFISH AND MARDI GRAS, EVEN NORTH OF BATON ROUGE.

AND ALEXANDER AND NATCHITOCHES.

I DIDN'T HAVE THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT A CRAWFISH WAS IN SHREVEPORT.

I WAS GROWING UP IN NEW ORLEANS, IT SPREAD NORTH.

IN NATCHITOCHES THEY HAVE THE MEAT PIES AND CAJUN FOOD, AS WELL.

DO YOU REMEMBER THE CAJUN CHRISTMAS SPECIAL, IT IS SO FAMOUS, THE CHRISTMAS SPECIALS AROUND THE WORLD.

IT WAS, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST FIGHTING THINGS.

THERE.

-- MOST EXCITING THINGS THERE WEREN'T MANY BIG EVENTS.

LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT GETTING TO KNOW THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN PHYSICIAN THAT YOU WORKED WITH IN THE EARLY STAGES OF UNDERSTANDING THIS DISEASE.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE?

WERE YOU BE FRIENDLY OR JUST COLLEAGUES OR WHAT WAS THAT RELATIONSHIP LIKE?

THE REPORTED THE FIRST CASE IN A FOOTBALL PLAYER, I TREATED HIM.

HIS NAME IS BENNETT OMALO, NIGERIAN BORN NEUROLOGIST PLAYED BY WILL SMITH.

HE SAID I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT AMERICAN FOOTBALL BUT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE.

A PIVOTAL PART IN THIS MOVIE, HE SAID FIX THE BRAIN OF MIKE WEBSTER, MEANING LET'S TAKE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION, LOOKING FOR THE SIGNS OF DEMENTIA, BROKEN DOWN PROTEINS.

SO I HAD KNOWN THE PATIENT AND THEN HE CALLED ME UP AND SAID I HAVE YOUR FORMER PATIENT HERE AND THIS IS WHAT WE FOUND SO THAT BEGAN OUR WORK TOGETHER AND WE STILL WORK TOGETHER TODAY.

DO YOU.

AND NOW ARE YOU ABLE TO SEE SOME EARLIER SIGNS AND NOT JUST IN AN AUTOPSY.

WE ARE, BUT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH CTE IS WELL RE WE Y CAN'T MAKE THE DIAGNOSIS IN LIVING PEOPLE.

WE'RE DOING WORK AT UCLA TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, THROUGH SPECIAL PET SCANS.

YOU CAN LOOK THROUGH THE SIGNS AND KNOW THAT THEY HAVE PLAYED CONTACT SPORTS FOR MANY YEARS BUT WE REALLY DON'T KNOW THE INCIDENCE OR PREVALENCE WHO GETS IT AND WHY.

THERE IS NO GENETIC CAUSE IDENTIFIED YET.

UNTIL THAT TIME COMES WITH COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE, THE DEFAULT HAS TO BE TO TAKE HEAD CONTACT OUT OF EVERY SPORT.

AS I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, HITTING YOUR HEAD DOESN'T HELP ANYTHING.

DO YOU HAVE PLAYERS CONTACT YOU PERSONALLY?

ALL THE TIME.

ALL THE TIME.

HOW MANY?

HUNDREDS THROUGH THE YEARS.

THROUGH THE YEARS?

AND CAN YOU WORK WITH THEM INDIVIDUALLY?

OR WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE?

WELL, I AM A SURGEON, SO THAT PART WITH THE BRAIN INJURY IS KIND OF A SIDELINE.

I HAVE A BRAIN INJURY RESEARCH LABORATORY, WE HAVE FUNDING TO DO DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXPERIENCES AND THEN I HAVE MY PRACTICE OF BRAIN SURGERY.

I TRIED TO ADVISE THEM THE BEST I CAN AND HELP GET THEM TO THE PEOPLE MAYBE THAT CAN HELP THEM, BUT THERE IS NO CURE.

THERE IS NO DRUG TO TREAT THE EFFECTS OF PRIOR BRAIN INJURY.

RESEARCH IS BEING DONE AT UCLA.

ANY LACE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY?

THE BIGGEST THING IS TRYING TO MAKE THIS LIVING DIAGNOSIS, AND UCLA IS THE LEADING.

THERE ARE OTHER PLACES TRYING TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO VISUALIZE IT.

THE GERMAN PHYSICIAN LEWIS ALZHEIMER'S, DISCOVERED THE DISEASE NAMED AFTER HIM.

BUT WE HAVE A HARD TIME VISUAL LYING WITH A SCAN.

IT IS ONLY AFTER SOMEONE PASSES AWAY AND YOU LOOK AT SOMEONE'S BRAIN AND SAY THAT IS A DEFINITE CONCLUSION.

THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT, BETH.

IF YOU CAN ONLY TELL SOMEONE YOU HAVE A DISEASE WHEN THEY'RE DEAD, YOU CAN'T HELP THEM, OBVIOUSLY.

WHAT AN IMPORTANT AREA OF RESEARCH.

WE ARE A WIDE, HE THE WHOLE ALZHEIMER'S FAMILY, THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LOOMING HEALTH CARE ISSUES GOING FORWARD.

SO, LET ME ASK YOU ON THE NIGHT WHERE WE SAID YOU ARE A LOUISIANA LEGEND, YOU WERE WITH AN INTERESTING GROUP OF PEOPLE.

WAS IT FUN FOR YOUR FAMILY?

IT WAS FUN.

THE WHOLE EVENT WAS SO WELL DONE AND IT WAS A VERY PROUD HONOR FOR ME TO BE THERE AND BE WITH THAT GROUP.

HAVE YOU LOOKED AT SOME OTHERS?

WE HAVE AN INTERESTING GROUP OF PEOPLE IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE IN LOUISIANA.

THAT'S WHEN WE BEGAN THIS, THAT'S WHAT WAS SO INTERESTING, I THINK.

I BET, AND YEAH, YOU'VE REALLY COVERED THE WHOLE GAMUT.

OF COURSE MICHAEL WAS ONE WITH THE RESEARCH HE DID.

INTERESTING, A LONG LINE OF FOLKS.

THIS IS ONE, IS THERE ANYONE IN PARTICULAR YOU LOOK BACK AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO THANK IN YOUR LIFE THAT HELPED YOU GET AHEAD.

THERE WERE SO MANY, STARTING BACK TO OF COURSE MY PARENTS, BUT TEACHERS THAT WERE VERY IMPORTANT AND I LOVED MATH AND SCIENCE IN SCHOOL, AND THOSE TEACHERS INFLUENCED ME.

TEACHERS IN PRE-MED, LIKE GEORGE KENT HERE AT LSU WAS PIVOTAL.

THE TEACHERS IN MEDICAL SCHOOL AND THEN, WHICH FINISHED MEDCLE SCHOOL, I TRAINED IN LOS ANGELES, PHOENIX, NEW YORK AND CHICAGO, SO TEACHERS INCULL INCULLCATED AND TAUGHT AND YOU END UP BEING AN INFLUENCE OF ALL THOSE PEOPLE, COACHES, TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND PROFESSORS OF BRAIN SURGERY.

THERE IS A LOT OF CONTROVERSY NOW OVER HOW WE DELIVER MEDICAL CARE, MAINLY HOW WE PAY FOR IT IS THE CHALLENGE IN THE U.S.

I'M FASCINATED WE'VE TAKEN DIFFERENT PATH IN MUCH OF THE WESTERN WORLD, EUROPE.

I HEAR YOUNG PEOPLE SAYING DON'T GO INTO MEDICINE, YOU WILL SPEND ALL YOUR TIME FILLING OUT PAPERWORK AND YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY TREAT THE PATIENT.

DO YOU HEAR THAT FROM FELLOW DOCTORS?

WE HEAR THAT AND WE'VE SEEN THE EVOLUTION OF NO MORE PAPER AND EVERYTHING DONE ELECTRONICALLY.

IT HAS BURDENS BUT OVER ALL IT IS A VERY ADVANTAGEOUS PART OF TECHNOLOGY.

SO WE EMBRACE IT AND IF YOU LIKE SCIENCE AND WANT TO TAKE CARE OF PATIENTS AND DO WHAT YOU CAN TO HELP PEOPLE, IT IS A FASCINATING AND REWARDING FIELD TO BE IN.

ONE YOU WILL CONTINUE FOR A LONG TIME, I WOULD HOPE.

I WOULD LIKE TO, YES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME ON YOUR TRIP HERE TO VISIT WITH US.

WE CONGRATULATE YOU ON BEING A LOUISIANA LEGEND AND WE'RE PROUD OF OUR NATIVE SONS AND DAUGHTERS, AND WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST.

THANK YOU.

GREAT TO BE HERE WITH YOU.

THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING LOUISIANA LEGENDS.

SINCE 1923, SINCE 1923, ROY O'MARTIN, A LOUISIANA BASED WOOD PRODUCTS COMPANY, HAS FOLLOWED THE EXAMPLE OF ITS FOUNDER TO GIVE BACK TO OUR LOUISIANA COMMUNITIES WHERE WE LIVE AND WORK.

TO LEARN MORE, VISIT ROYOMARTIN.COM.

THE LOUISIANA LOTTERY IS PROUD TO JOIN LPB IN HONORING THE 2018 LOUISIANA LEGENDS, CONTRIBUTING OEVER $3.5 BILLION FOR K-12 PUBLIC EDUCATION.

GIVING LOUISIANANS A REASON TO SMILE.

AND LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED HEALTH SYSTEM SERVING PATIENTS IN THE ARK-LA-TEX SINCE 1924.