• Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
The Brain Health Magazine
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The Brain Health Magazine
No Result
View All Result

LEGAL CORNER: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

by James A. Heuer, PA

in CTE, Legal, TBI
November 14, 2020
0

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain disease associated with a history of repetitive brain traumas. Repeated, forceful blows to the head are the greatest risk factor in the development of CTE. Researchers and physicians have only begun to understand, therefore more time and research is needed to fully understand the symptoms of CTE.

CTE is compared to similar conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Based on the present research, these conditions involve the loss of a substantial number of brain cells. In CTE, a protein forms clumps around the brain and spreads slowly, eventually killing brain cells. Signs of CTE are:

  • Memory loss
  • Confusion
  • Personality changes such as depression
  • Erratic behavior such as aggression
  • Problems paying attention and organizing thoughts
  • Difficulty with balance and motor skills

Traumatic brain injuries can be moderate to severe and the symptoms can vary with the length of unconsciousness from the brain injury. A mild traumatic brain injury causes short-term symptoms that usually appear at the time of the injury, but also can occur days or weeks later.

Concussions and TBIs suffered in the sport of boxing have been associated to CTE. CTE was first described as “punch-drunk syndrome.” Boxers who suffer many repeated blows to the head that do not cause unconsciousness may be at an increased risk of CTE. This is due to the fact that CTE in boxers is linked to the number of blows to the head, not the number of times the boxer was knocked out.

This evidence concludes that CTE is caused by repetitive hits to the head happening over a period of years, not a handful of concussions. The best possible evidence suggest that sub-concussive impacts, or hits to the head that don’t cause full-blown concussions, are the biggest factor. It may take thousands of hits to the head over years and years in playing contact sports such as boxing or football.

Research has shown that the length of exposure is found to be a dependent variable in developing CTE as it poses a greater risk in football players. CTE risk is correlated with length of career, as athletes with longer careers are more likely to have more severe pathology than those with shorter careers.

As of now, CTE is only diagnosed through post-mortem brain tissue analysis. Currently, there is no test that can determine if a living person has CTE, so the autopsy after death is the only opportunity for diagnostic testing. There is no treatment or cure.

Simply put, the only way to avoid getting CTE is to prevent getting repeated injuries to the head. As previously noted, CTE is similar to Alzheimer’s disease; caring for someone with the diagnosis can be overwhelming as it progresses. With the evidence we have available, we can conclude that CTE mimics the symptoms created from a TBI. There are several ongoing major research studies that are gaining further insight into the injury patterns and changes in the brain affected in CTE.

 

James A. Heuer, PA is a personal injury attorney helping individuals with TBI after suffering one himself. He is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare Via EmailPinterest
Next Post

CTE & Nutrition

SIGN UP

BLOG

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas

by Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief What You Need: 2 lbs. (900g) chicken breasts 4 bell peppers, sliced 1 red onion, sliced 2 tbsp. honey 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 lime, juice 1 tbsp. chili powder 1 tbsp. cumin 1 tbsp. paprika 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 cup chopped tomatoes […]

Read more
From Calamitous to Cannabis

From Calamitous to Cannabis

By Ian Hebeisen Over her life, Nikki Lawley has sold H-Vac filtration systems, dealt cards at a casino, and started her own company, solidifying her as a true renaissance woman of the modern age. Most recently, she worked as a pediatric nurse in Buffalo – a career choice resulting in a TBI. One shift, a […]

Read more
The Curse and Blessing of Neuroplasticity After Concussion

The Curse and Blessing of Neuroplasticity After Concussion

By Jonathan Chung, DC Neuroplasticity is defined as the ability for neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization. If you’ve been involved in the world of strokes and brain injuries long enough, you probably heard of neuroplasticity in the context of how it can provide hope for people to rehabilitate and […]

Read more
Busting the Neuromyth of Left-Brain Versus Right-Brain Dominance

Busting the Neuromyth of Left-Brain Versus Right-Brain Dominance

by Dr. Amy Moore I remember calling myself a “right-brained thinker” in college because I was creative, musical, highly emotional, and full of big-picture out-of-the-box-ideas. I struggled to relate to classmates who enjoyed math. They were polar opposite left-brainers who analyzed everything. Imagine my surprise in graduate school when I found myself truly enjoying my […]

Read more
Valor® Essential Oil

Valor® Essential Oil

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief Essential oils are a complementary tool that can help you achieve a healthy lifestyle. They are easy to use, smell great, and have a variety of uses. All oils are not created equal. Young Living is the only brand I personally trust because I know they have complete control over their […]

Read more
Caregiver Corner: Paying Attention to Tics and Triggers

Caregiver Corner: Paying Attention to Tics and Triggers

By Ian Hebeisen Over seven years ago, my mom received a traumatic brain injury from a car accident. As a result, she sustained nerve damage that often leads to painful contortions in her arms and legs. At first, we couldn’t tell what would set off her arm spasms, but as time went on, we began […]

Read more
Yoga: Bird Dog Pose

Yoga: Bird Dog Pose

by Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief Yoga is a powerful tool for recovery after brain injury. Contrary to some beliefs, everyone can do yoga — you don’t need to be super flexible, be able to balance, or even be able to stand up. The beauty of yoga is that every pose can be modified to accommodate anyone. […]

Read more
The Woman of Courage

The Woman of Courage

By Ellen Fortini Courtad There’s something surprising about Kathy Colace Laurinaitis that she doesn’t mind sharing. The managing partner of JBN & Associates recruiting firm. She is a self-proclaimed chicken. “People know me in business, so they think I have that no-fear personality,” she confides. “But I am such a chicken. I fear bugs. I […]

Read more
Looking Through Different Glasses Can Benefit Muddled CNS

Looking Through Different Glasses Can Benefit Muddled CNS

By Deborah Zelinsky, O.D. “Our entire biological system, the brain and the earth itself, work on the same frequencies,” said Nikola Tesla, the late 1800s/early 1900s inventor and electrical and mechanical engineer. But traumatic brain injury (TBI) – even a mild concussion – may knock the central nervous system (CNS) off that frequency, resulting in […]

Read more

INSTAGRAM

Follow Us!

  • Some of our book award goodies arrived today … the swag looks pretty good with this book 🥇 

#ConcussionDiscussions #author #publisher #writer #blogger #braininjury #tbi #concussion #pcs #anthology #FunctionalNeurology
  • I am thrilled to share that Concussion Discussions has won TWO book awards for excellence in publishing. A huge thanks to all of the contributors who helped make this book award-winning:
@steadmanshane 
@dr.perry.maynard 
@integratedbraincenters 
@dockeiser 
@portlandchiropracticneurology1 
@midcoastbrain 
@drszimmerman 
@neurowellnessdoc 
@learningrx_brain_training 
@healingresponse 
@dr.habanova 
@rezzimaxpaintuner 
@bagnell_brain_center 
@nurenbergparis 
@frameworktms 
@northwestfunctionalneuro 
@drerikreis 
@mindeyeinstitute 
@functionalhealthunlimited 
@michironeuro 
@deltasperformance
  • #kindness
  • Comment below!
  • #kindwords
  • Yoga or Pilates? Comment below!
  • #blazeyourownpath
  • Congrats to Jeffrey M Heller recently named the newest partner of @nurenbergparis
  • It’s officially March … and that means Brain Injury Awareness Month!! Join us on March 16th for a FREE virtual event with over 20 survivors and professionals sharing their experience. Register now for FREE! www.FACESOFTBI.com/event

© Copyright 2019 | The Brain Health Magazine

  • Advertise With Us
  • Submission Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Contact Us

DISCLAIMER: THIS MAGAZINE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE - View PDF

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used.