Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Essay

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative, progressive disease of the brain. It is found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma such as both symptomatic concussions and asymptomatic subconcussive hits to the cranial region. CTE was found mostly in boxers beginning in the 1920s but has recently been found to affect a variety of athletes such as football and soccer players. The trauma from continuous brain shaking and cranial hits, influences progressive degeneration of the brain tissue along with the build-up of an abnormal protein called tau. Tau proteins stabilize microtubules. They are most commonly found in the neurons of the central nervous system and are also but are also found at low levels in the CNS astrocytes

since Mike Webster’s CTE was discovered in 2002, over fifty cases have been found starting with the age of seventeen. Within the brain, Ann Mckee has pinpointed the four stages of progression. Ann Mckee is a neurologist that has been studying the donated brains of athletes with head traumas. The first stage shows no symptoms but a small area has been broken down or has a buildup of Tau. The second stage shows signs of depression, rage, and impulsiveness. Within the brain, the affected area is beginning to spread and progress to more cells and nerves. In the third stage a person begins to be constantly confused and loses memory. At this stage the brains affected area is no longer contained to one part of the brain and the brain itself appears to be spotted. The final stage is stage four. The athlete shows signs of advanced dementia and the brain is decaying in places and rebuilding with tau proteins in others. Eventually, CTE will lead to death. Other symptoms include difficulty thinking, difficulty planning and carrying out tasks, emotional instability, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts or behavior, irritability, aggression, speech and language difficulties, motor impairment, tremors, loss of muscle movement, weakness or rigidity, trouble swallowing, vision and focusing problems, and trouble with sense of