what is cte football

CTE stands for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, which is a degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans, and others with a history of repeated head injuries. It is caused in part by repeated traumatic brain injuries, which include concussions and nonconcussive impacts. CTE gets worse over time and leads to dementia. The disease is characterized by misfolded tau protein that is unlike changes observed from aging, Alzheimer’s disease, or any other brain disease. Football, hockey, boxing, soccer, and rugby are among the contact sports that make players most likely to have CTE. Members of the military also have a higher chance of having it. The only way to definitively diagnose CTE is after death during an autopsy of the brain. Symptoms of CTE include loss of memory, confusion, and flawed judgment. The right treatment can help manage the symptoms, but there is no cure for CTE. The NFL has taken steps to address the issue of CTE, including rule changes and increased funding for research.