Chronic Traumatic Encephalitis
By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - It is a problem that family members of many former NFL players are dealing with: a steady decline over the years with personality change and ultimately an increase in depression and aggressive behavior.
Autopsies have been performed on many players and others with head trauma and have uncovered chronic traumatic encephalitis, or CTE. Simply put, it is a condition resulting from too many concussions.
The brain can literally shrink over the years and the effects can be dramatic.
We enjoy our football games, we enjoy watching them, but the NFL is beginning to understand there can be a price to pay.
I think it is very important that colleges and high schools remain aware that concussions at any age can lead to these problems. In fact it needs to be stressed that football is not alone in this as well…repeated head trauma can definitely lead to long term issues.
