Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) -- a form of degenerative brain damage caused by multiple hits to the head, has been recently linked to the death of a young NFL wide-receiver. With only 5 professional years under his belt, Cincinatti wide-receiver Chris Henry, died of a traffic accident. Upon further review of his autopsy, it was found that he had the illness known as CTE. Researchers / Doctors have now found more than 50 cases of CTE in the deceased bodies of professional athletes in various sports. (NFL, College, Wrestling, etc..)CNN coverage on CTE and its effect on NFL players:
What is CTE?: (WebLink)
- Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a disease of the brain believed to be caused by repeated head trauma resulting in large accumulations of tau proteins, killing cells in regions responsible for mood, emotions, and executive functioning
Common symptoms:
- Memory impairment
- Dementia
- Emotional instability
- Erratic behavior
- Depression
- Problems with impulse control
The condition is caused by repeated concussive and sub-concussive blows (blows that are below the threshold of force necessary to cause concussion)targeted at the brain region.
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