Class 10: CTE Science and Controversy Flashcards
What does the C in CTE mean?
chronic: progresses over a long period of time
What does the T in CTE mean?
traumatic: thought to be caused by repetitive brain trauma
What does the E in CTE mean?
encephalopathy: brain disease/disorder that affect function
When can CTE be diagnosed?
postmortem
What is the tell-tale sign of CTE?
accumulation of abnormal tau around blood vessels at the base of cervices within brain
What is Tau?
structural protein that keeps the microtubules straight and functioning properly
How can tau build up?
if microtubules are damaged, tau can break off and change shaper, and then it clumps together causing the cell to malfunction
Who is at risk for CTE?
if you spend 10+ years in NFL
What are 3 factors of CTE occurring?
genetics, age, and magnitude and frequency of head impacts
What is tauopathy?
any neurodegenerative disease that results in accumulations of tau in brain
When and who first used the term “chronic traumatic encephalopathy”?
bowman and blau in 1940
What did Bennet Omalu do in 2005?
published a paper looking at Mike Websters (NFL player) brain (even though he died of a heart attack) because of his history of mental illness
What did the NFL MTBI committe do to Omalu’s paper?
requested retraction
What center formed at BU university?
center for the study of traumatic encephalopathy (led by Ann McKee)
What happened when McKee met with NFL MTBI committee?
dismissed her work and said the cause of CTE is unknown (and not related to the NFL)
