Concussions Is A Progressive Disease Of The Brain

â€Å"Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, is a progressive disease of the brain found in athletes who have a history of repeated brain trauma†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Harris) CTE is closely associated with Alzheimer’s, another gradual, deteriorating brain disease that destroys the individual’s ability to remember, make decisions, and eventually takes away the ability for people to complete every day functions. Alzheimer’s is usually diagnosed around the age of 65 or older as a result of brain cell failure. (Alzheimer’s Association) CTE, on the other hand, affects individuals younger than 65. Generally, with CTE, people who are athletes are diagnosed around forty or fifty years of age. The athletes who are most affected with CTE, are those who have played†¦show more content†¦CTE is a problem arising among professional athletes dating back to the 1920’s. (Jay Barry Harris) Many of these athletes, mostly retired, have struggled in their later y ears with mental illnesses such as memory loss, depression, substance abuse, and suicide. (Saulle and Greenwald) Concussions are the most common occurrence in athletes with an estimated 1.6–3.8 million sport-related concussions reported annually in America (Daneshvar et el). Concussions are the main source of CTE, however this can be an underrepresentation of the true number because many athletes do not seek medical attention or vocalize their symptoms. Many athletes fail to report their symptoms because of their desire to continue playing. In a 2009 CTE review, it found that 46 out of 51 neuropathologically diagnosed cases of CTE occurred in athletes, which translates to 90% (Mckee et el). The NFL has not treated injured players properly. Depending on the severity of the concussions players should sit out for a given time. This could often mean sitting out for weeks or months. However, the â€Å"Concussion Watch Project† by Frontline stated that half of the players with a concussion return without missing a game. The American Academy of Neurology states that within the first ten days of the initial injury athletes are at greater risk to cause more damage or repeat the injury. Concussion Watch Project tracked 15 players with a head injury from preseason. Of those 15