THE DEGENERATIVE BRAIN DISEASE CALLED CHRONIC TRAUMATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY( CTE) HAS LED TO HEADACHE, DEMENTIA, LAWSUITS AND SUICIDE.
BY LESLEY REED
IN THE FINAL MONTHS before retired football player Dave Duerson committed suicide in 2011, he complained of headaches, blurred vision and a deteriorating memory. 1
For most of his life, he’ d been met with remarkable success. In college, he was an All-American defensive back at Notre Dame. During his 11-year National Football League( NFL) career, he won Super Bowls with the Chicago Bears and the New York Giants. 2 After he retired in 1993, he had a successful career in the food-services industry. 1 He earned an economics degree from the University of Notre Dame and a certificate from Harvard Business School’ s Executive Education program. 3
Then things began to fall apart. Outwardly, his marriage ended, his business failed and he went bankrupt. Inwardly, he feared he was suffering from symptoms of a brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy( CTE), a form of dementia that shares similarities with Alzheimer’ s disease. 4 Just before he shot himself
Duerson exhibited such worsening cognitive and social functioning that led to problems with his relationships and poor money management.
in the chest, Duerson sent text messages and wrote a note to his family with this request:“ Please, see that my brain is given to the NFL’ s brain bank.” 1
That brain bank is Boston University’ s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, which has examined dozens of former football players’ brains for the telltale signs of CTE. The Center autopsied Duerson’ s brain and did, indeed, diagnose him with CTE. In fact, they’ ve found CTE in the majority of the players’ brains they’ ve examined. 5
CTE is a degenerative disease found in individuals with a history of repeated mild head injuries. For decades, it was believed that only boxers were susceptible to CTE. The disease was first described in a 1928 article titled“ Punch Drunk,” written by pathologist and medical examiner Harrison Martland, MD. 6 Dr. Martland wrote that he found the condition in“ nearly one-half of the fighters who have stayed in the game long enough.” These boxers were nicknamed“ punch drunk” for the tremors and signs of dementia that can occur in the later stages of
1. Schwarz.“ Duerson’ s Brain Trauma Diagnosed.” The New York Times. May 2, 2011. 2. Munson.“ Duerson Case Could Set Precedent.” ESPN. com. July 16, 2012. 3. Garriott.“ NFLPA Mourns Loss of Legend Dave Duerson.” NFLPlayers. com. February 18, 2011. 4. Mayo Clinic.“ Dementia.” Mayoclinic. com. Apr. 16, 2011. 5. BU Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy. Press release. Dec. 6, 2011. 6. Martland.“ Punch drunk.” JAMA. 1928; 91( 15): 1103-1107. www. headaches. org | National Headache Foundation 25