Post-Pension-Syndrome Research Paper

One of the Long term Effects of CTE is the development of Parkinson Disease. Parkinson Disease is common for NFL players to develop after suffering a Concussion. Depression is also a Major Long term effect of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and NFL concussions. Concussion can also Cause Brain Bleeding but this is uncommon and is in the most serious cases of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. “Four players (9%) had microbleeds in brain parenchyma identified in SWI, and 3 (7%) had a large cavum septum pellucidum with brain atrophy.” (Casson). As one can see Brain bleeding is not common and is in very serious cases but this opens up different diseases and side effects like Brain Lesions According to Ira R. Casson MD. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy can cause different diseases later in life, and the most common disease is

Some patients, however, do experience post-concussion syndrome (PCS) with symptoms lasting longer than expected. Post-concussion syndrome can include physical, cognitive, and emotional problems, including headache, dizziness, difficulty concentrating or completing tasks, irritability, and the sense that you “just don’t feel like yourself”.

CTE affects many different athletes all over the world. Chronic Traumatic encephalopathy or normally referred to as CTE is a brain disease that affects people who have had multiple head injuries. It is found in many cases of ex NFL players who took many hits to the head when playing over their careers. There are many documented cases of it across other sports and some military veterans as well. We have made large strides in learning more and more about the terrible disease. The game of football has changed since we have learned so much more about the terrible disease in recent years. We could prevent concussions by changing the way players practice.

Concussions are complex cerebral injuries that result in a series of metabolic events within the brain. The changes are seen in the fragile neuronal homeostatic balances where changes in the elevations of glutamate and potassium have been identified. The effects of concussions have also been seen in the functioning of the brain rather than in the structure of the brain itself. Being identified as mild traumatic brain injuries, occurring due to a bump or jolt to head or neck, concussions can result in both short-term and long-term effects. Although most individuals are able to recover from these head injuries, a small but relevant portion of individuals have been found to suffer from chronic long-term effects including early onsets of Alzheimer disease, clinical depression and other cognitive complications. The occurrence of a secondary concussion during the recovery phase of a primary concussion, also recognized as the second impact syndrome, has been shown to increase the risk for long-term effects of cerebral and neurological failure as the neurons have become incapable of experiencing normal functions after an initial traumatic brain injury. The recoveries from these initial concussions are critical to prevent the onset of long-term effects.

Concussions are thought to be one of the main contributing factors that lead to the development of CTE. If you break down the word to its Latin origins, concussion stems from the word conutere, which means to shake violently. A concussion is a type of brain injury that occurs when a patient receives trauma to the head, causing the brain to shake. It is believed that players receive concussions when they are exposed to either linear or angular forces (Cantu, 2012).

Since the 1920s, there has been a severe disease linked to athletes. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a disease that effects athletes that have had head trauma. The trauma causes the brain tissue to deteriorate. The changes can become apparent after months, years, or even decades. CTE is linked to memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and, eventually, progressive dementia. (“What”, 2009). CTE has caused football to change as well as the equipment. CTE is now widely known and is effecting, not only professional athletes, but also high school athletes. Concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy are serious conditions that can affect anyone and have adverse effects.

The media and fans fostered a heightened awareness for sport concussion as they learned of high-profile professional athletes who attributed their retirements to repetitive concussions. Additionally, postconcussion syndrome was identified in players who retired for other reasons in the months and years after their injuries. As a result, the current research concerned with the identification, management, and long-term effects of concussion is adding new and exciting information to the professional body of knowledge required to reduce the risk of injury.” (Cerebral Concussion: Causes, Effects, and Risks in

life nobody could prove he had CTE, but sure enough an autopsy revealed signs of CTE. However, advances are being made to be able to diagnose it in living patients. Even after so much damage had been done by concussions the MTBI still felt that knee and other issues were more important. The chairman was quoted saying, "concussions are a part of the profession, an occupational risk." This quote would end up being the basis for their defense against the lawsuit.

Lucas Maestas is a 17-year-old teenager that has a passion for school and sports. He plans on pursuing a career in neurology or political science. Lucas has had to endure the turmoil of post concussive syndrome the last four years. The first concussion Lucas received was the summer before his eighth grade year. He received three more concussions after that, all taking place in a two-year time frame. Lucas still has symptoms of post concussive syndrome till this day, but has seen improvement with his symptoms. He has really seen an improvement with his overall well-being after going to the Carrick Brain Center in Dallas (There will be a page about his experience at the brain center soon). Lucas

Concussions are a very frightening and dangerous injury. A concussion is a traumatic brain injury in which your brain rattles around in your skull. When you sustain a concussion, your brain may jolt as a result from the impact. This form of brain injury can cause bruising, damage to the blood vessels, and injury to the nerves. Concussions are the most common brain injury. Although concussions are the least serious, they should not be taken lightly. Back in the day, people were unaware of concussions and the symptoms associated with them. As a result, people today especially former athletes are dying from past concussions. (Cantu, R. & Hyman M., 2012) Many people have seen, heard of, or had a concussion and they are relevant to everyone’s life.

Concussions are minor traumatic brain injuries caused by bumping the head. The action taking place that causes a concussion is when the brain bounces around in the skull causing minor to major bruising. This causes chemical changes in the brain and leaves the damaged areas in the brain vulnerable to permanent damage if injured again. Symptoms involve “impairments of memory and attention, headache, and alteration of mental status, are the result of neuronal dysfunction mostly caused by functional rather than structural abnormalities” ( Signoretti, 2011). According to Signoretti, the symptoms occur because of the trauma causes the neurons to fall out of homeostasis causing a chain reaction of metabolic events such as temporary

The guest lecture given by Dahna Sanderson, was very informative because she expressed the effects of concussions, in very personal way. Dahna explained that Don Sanderson, her son was a victim of a concussion. This occurred because he was involved in a hockey fight which landed him into a hospital. Dahna clarified that it was not the actual fight that led to his death, but it is because of the concussion that Don received when his bear head hit the ice. Right after the impact with the ice, Don Sanderson immediately regained conscientious, but then later fell into a coma which lasted about three weeks. Dahna Sanderson, after three weeks of waiting for her son to wake up from his coma, she received “the worst possible news” as Dahna described.

However, those professional athletes competing in sports with a good deal of physical contact are in harm’s way of experiencing multiple concussions during their career as an athlete. According to recent research, scientists have discovered a neurodegenerative disease also known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE (Hard Knocks: The Science of Concussions). This disease was found in the brains of former athletes who have died mainly boxers and football players (What is CTE?). These athletes were those who have received continuous concussions or played in positions where they were vulnerable to experience a good amount of physical impact (Hard Knocks: The Science of Concussions). The repeated banging of the brain against the skull causes a gradual degeneration of the brain tissue, and also the forming of an unusual protein known as tau (What is CTE?). These activities in the brain can take place months or even years after the last concussion or retirement from the sport. Some of the symptoms associated with CTE include: memory loss, confusion, depression, aggression, hindered judgment, and dementia (What is CTE?).

Post-concussion syndrome is a complex disorder with symptoms can consist of headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and irritability that can last as little as a week and up to months after a head injury. The causes can be a traumatic blow to the head or neck injuries in which the patient does not have to lose consciousness. The effect of being injured can do permanent damaged to the brain and nervous system. Dealing with Post-concussion syndrome not only can have a physical effect, but a psychological one as well (Mayo clinic page 2).

Over the past several years, concussions and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) have become hot topics in the world of football. The long lasting effects of concussions and CTE experienced