What are 3 symptoms of CTE?
The symptoms of CTE include memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, anxiety, suicidality, parkinsonism, and, eventually, progressive dementia.
These symptoms often begin years or even decades after the last brain trauma or end of active athletic involvement.
Also some indications CTE can lead to or exacerbate ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) aka Lou Gehrig’s disease.
One of my best friends played Division 1 college football. Linebacker. He got hit in the head a LOT. His helmet (which he kept) showed it. I could not have done that much damage to his helmet with a hammer unless I had several hours. He succumbed to ALS. Maybe a coincidence, but a correlation has been shown.
That’s part of why I am a big fan of the anti-targeting rule in football. Now getting hit is part of the game. I played (not Div 1 but another league). You accept that. Heck part of what makes playing football fun - hit and get hit. But getting thumped in the head is no fun. Know. Got a concussion once.
PS I would not wish ALS on my worst enemy. It’s horrific. I still think of him on occasion even though it’s been over a decade since he passed. Almost brings me to tears when I do.