# CTE or chronic traumatic encephalopathy



## Bob Hubbard (Jun 27, 2007)

I found this as part of the Chris Benoit tragedy. It seems important enough to share here, considering the risk we put ourselves at when sparring, competing and training.


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Found this: CTE or chronic traumatic encephalopathy
http://grg51.typepad.com/steroid_nat...c_traumat.html

"This is irreversible brain damage, Omalu said. Its most likely caused by concussions "

"chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a condition evidenced by neurofibrillary tangles in the brains cortex, which can cause memory loss, depression and eventually Alzheimers disease-like dementia. This is extremely abnormal in a 36-year-old, Hamilton said. If I didnt know anything about this case and I looked at the slides, I would have asked, Was this patient a boxer?"


If this was the case, while it doesn't excuse his crime, it does explain how someone who is consistently being reported as a "good guy" could lose it and kill his family. 

Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Justin Strzelczyk, known for his friendly, banjo-playing spirit and gluttony for combat, died the morning of Sept. 30, 2004, when, during a 40-mile high-speed police chase in central New York, his pickup truck collided with a tractor-trailer and exploded, killing him instantly. CTE has been cited. 


There is alot more reading on brain injuries at http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/detail_tbi.htm
Which probably would be a good read period, considering the risk of head injuries we ourselves chance while sparing and training.


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## tshadowchaser (Jun 27, 2007)

this is one of the reasons why high school students should not return to the sport where a head injury occured untill a doctor says they can
I know in some states a player  (high school) must sit out the rest of the game and be treated at a hospital for head injuries because no one wants repeated concussions to cause the above problem


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