A progressive degenerative disease of the brain called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE is found in athletes who have histories of repeated concussions. Boxers have been known to be afflicted with it since the 1920s. Wrestlers and football players with a history of head trauma have been confirmed to have CTE recently. It has also shown up in battered wives.
Symptoms
CTE is the only known preventable cause of dementia. Repeated head trauma, particularly concussions, cause progressive degeneration of the brain tissue. The symptoms associated with CTE can appear many years after an athlete has retired. Symptoms include memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, aggression, depression, paranoia, impaired impulse control, and ultimately, progressive dementia.
Rule Changes
When 18 football players died in 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt pushed for changes to the game. The forward pass, a safer ball mover, was introduced. In 1910, the flying tackle was banned. Not until 1943 was headgear required in the game. The originals were leather; plastic headgear was introduced in 1949. Critics complained that headgear allowed players to use their heads as weapons. The single bar face mask was introduced in 1955. The head-on spear tackle was banned in 1976. By 1980, more penalties are placed on head and neck contact. In 2004, the single bar face mask is banned. The NFL, in 2007, decides not to put players back in the game who have been knocked unconscious. Posters describing the dangers of concussions are produced by the NFL for locker rooms in 2010 for high schools, colleges, and professional teams.
Research
The first case of CTE in a professional football player appeared in 2005. In 2009, evidence of CTE was found in the brain of an 18-year-old football player. Dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other types of memory related diseases are 19 times higher in retired NFL players than the general public. Much of this research is done on the brains of deceased players. In 2003, a study conducted by the University of North Carolina linked head injuries with increased depression in football players. Retired athletes are speaking out, and donating their brains to research.
Outcomes
The American Academy of Neurology strongly recommends that any player of any age who suffers a concussion be examined by a specialist before returning to the game. They recommend a certified athletic trainer be present at all sporting events and practices. Currently, only 40% of the high schools have an athletic trainer on staff, and programs for younger athletes generally have none at all. In 2009, Washington State passed a law that an athlete, under the age of 18, who has suffered a concussion, must be evaluated by a physician before returning to the game. Several other states have followed Washington’s lead. These changes may have started in the NFL, but are moving down to the youngest of athletes, not only football players, but all types of sports and ages. After all, a brain is a terrible thing to waste.
Join the Conversation