What's Behind The NFL Suicides?
Dead Zones Dark spots in the brain of a former football player correspond to the buildup of tau protein. Courtesy Ann C McKee, M.D./VA Boston/Boston University School of MedicineAn up-close look at chronic traumatic encephalopathy. THE DISEASE For decades, the term "punch-drunk" has been used to describe boxers left permanently loopy after a career of fighting. The clinical name for the condition is chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and it can happen to any athlete who suffers frequent blows to the head. CTE has no known treatment, and doctors can only diagnose it postmortem, by physically examining the brain for symptoms. WHAT CAUSES IT? At its most basic, CTE is a cumulative effect from repetitive head trauma-not just concussive blows but also weaker ones. Impacts damage the brain's neural pathways, and as a result a protein called tau builds up. The more tau along the pathways, the less easily brain signals can...