Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

Today's athletes CTE Brain Injury

are facing direct impacts to the head with increasing force and frequency. Almost every sport carries with it the danger of some type of impact. Of course, the most frequent head injuries are common with hockey, football, boxing, mixed martial arts and rugby.

When the head is exosed to a severe impact, a concussion can result. Repeated concussions can lead to the degenerative condition known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. CTE can lead to the increased likelihood of dementia as the person ages. This onset of dementia can occur within a few years after the damage has occurred or many years later.

CTE Brain Injury Leads to Dementia

CTE Brain Concussion

Famous Cases

Muhamed Ali was well known as one of the greatest boxers of all time but it was clear in his later years that he suffered from dementia. His slurred speech and difficulty in communicating was seen by millions of television viewers as he struggled to make public appearances.

He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at the time but many now feel that this may have also been a case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

A more recent example is hockey player Sidney Crosby who suffered a severe concussion. It is difficult to determine what type of permanent damage may have occurred and how this may affect him in future years.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

Recent Findings

In the above image you can see cross section images of actual brain tissue damage compared to a healthy brain in the left hand image. The dark sections on the right hand images show evidence of CTE brain damage.

It has only been in the past few years that athletes have been donating their brains to scientific study after they pass away that medical experts have really been able to gather sufficient evidence to see clearly the result of CTE brain injuries as in the above image.

The good news is that the increase in awareness has led to more steps towards safety and prevention.

Years ago you may have heard the term 'punch-drunk' to describe a boxer that had spend too many years in the ring getting pounded in the head. Today, medical experts are working hard to discover a much more exact understanding of what happens when an athlete, or anyone for that matter, suffers a concussion.

Another incident that gained a lot of attention was the tragedy of Chris Benoit. Chris was a professional wrestler who life tragically ended in a family murder suicide situation. Steroids, the pressure of his career and many other contributing factors likely combined in such a chaotic circumstance. However a correlation between CTE brain injury and psychotic or aberrant behavior is being documented carefully to try and get a better understanding of causes and effects in such extreme cases.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, when found in athletes who have suffered repeated blows to the head, manifests as dementia, or declining mental ability, problems with memory, and parkinsonism, or tremors and lack of coordination. It can also cause speech problems and an unsteady gait. Patients with CTE may be prone to inappropriate or explosive behavior and may display pathological jealousy or paranoia.

The brains of CTE patients atrophy and lose neurons in the cerebellum. Sufferers may be treated with drugs used for Alzheimer's disease and Parkinsonism.

Concussions – an enigma, really. Often deemphasized, overlooked, misdiagnosed and understudied, these serious brain injuries are finally at the forefront of the sports world. And it’s about time. Although they’ve been wreaking havoc since day one, the herculean nature of athletes has pushed the severity of concussions to the back burner. After a few minutes on the bench, a squirt of water and a whiff of smelling salt, players believe that they are “good to go.” But they’re not. They’re actually far from it.

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