What is CTE and Concussion?

“A concussion, which is a form of mild traumatic brain injury, occurs after a blow to the head. The brain is surrounded by fluid and protective membranes called meninges, which usually cushions the brain” (Dickerson). Although CTE does not directly relate with concussion it is important to understand what concussion is to comprehend CTE. “Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans, and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma” (“What is CTE?”). 

Although CTE is not perfectly understood yet, we know that CTE forms in the brains of people who have constant blows to the head (“Chronic”). A little kid who has one bad accident to their head and gets a concussion is not necessarily going to get CTE later in life. CTE can only be diagnosed after death when the brain tissue is dissected, making it hard to learn about the disease from its early stages. “because CTE isn't diagnosed until after death, it can be difficult to directly connect certain symptoms to the condition” (Robitzki). For example, there could be symptoms of this disease that doctors haven’t even caught onto yet because of how little knowledge we have of it. Known symptoms of CTE include difficulty thinking (cognitive impairment), impulsive behavior, depression or apathy, short-term memory loss, difficulty planning and carrying out tasks (executive function), emotional instability, substance misuse, and suicidal thoughts or behavior (“Chronic”). Scientists still are working to figure out exactly what type of head injuries lead to CTE. They Scientists also are working to discover at what age a person may be most vulnerable to the complications from head injuries are that may lead to CTE (Chronic).