Out of sight in the mind catching Brain Damage early
By
Sam Ortega
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Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a form of neurodegeneration that is believed to result from repeated head injuries. Originally termed dementia pugilistica due to its association with boxing, the neuropathology of CTE was first described by Corsellis in 1973 in a case series of 15 retired boxers. People look at CTE as just concussions, a concussion is a brain injury that occurs from a blow to the head. But after doing some research apparently that's the least of researchers concerns. Most scientist believe that CTE is a result of repeated, or subconcusive, hits to the head. They worry about more on how each time the head takes a pounding, it tends to shake the head inside the skull. All that sloshing around eventually leads to a build up of an abnormal protein that takes over the brain.
How are athletes affected by CTE?
How are athletes affected by CTE?
For many athletes, their sport of choice is part of their lifestyle. Athletes will always train hard in order to prepare for games or competitions. Athletes will always push themselves past their physical limitations and don't even realize it sometimes.They focus more on their performance and less on their personal safety. I can connect to this because during my off season I train/ push myself in order to be better than I was yesterday. My favorite saying that motivates me whenever I am feeling lazy is "1% better everyday". Sometimes I would overtrain and when I think I can do one more rep, my body would just quit on me. CTE can be a risk of any sport that has the potential to cause repetitive head injuries.
Does CTE only occur within the sports industry?
Does CTE only occur within the sports industry?
No, CTE can affect individuals differently based on a numbers of factors such as genetics, diet, alcohol or even drug use, whether or not head protection was used. Though, it is still to be said certain sports carry a higher risk of developing CTE than others. Signs of CTE include confusion, lack of impulse control, disorientation, headaches, and more. The lack of impulse control tends to lead to first time drug users. If individuals like the way the use of drugs makes them feel then it's certain that they might not want to stop. A great example of this statement is, if you are in a car accident with a family member and that family member dies, personality changes may occur within you due to the loss of a loved one. People would sometimes lose themselves and sometimes small signs of drug addiction maybe begin. You may see your loved ones personally change, or even change in attitude.
Is there a cure for CTE?
Is there a cure for CTE?
Out of the various diseases that can affect the brain, CTE is one of the hardest to diagnose. This is because MRIs and CAT scans are commonly used to diagnose brain diseases, however they cannot be used to show whether the brain has been affected by CTE. In most cases, CTE is identified after death when parts of the brain can be removed and tested for tau clusters. At the moment, there is no treatment for CTE, but the disease can be prevented. The best way to prevent CTE from occurring is to wear a helmet during sports practice and competition, as well as other safety gear. While wearing a helmet does not automatically prevent you from sustaining a head injury, it can significantly reduce the severity of the impact. If you still sustain a head injury while playing sports, it is recommended to rest for about 3 weeks, since 85% of TBIs need at least this amount of time for a full recovery. Taking time to fully recover from a TBI can also help to decrease the risk of it eventually evolving into CTE.
“Resource Center.” What Is CTE? | Concussion Legacy Foundation, https://concussionfoundation.org/CTE-resources/what-is-CTE.
“Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 25 May 2021, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chronic-traumatic-encephalopathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20370921.
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