Video here with dozens of scientists/scientific bodies weighing in; Timestamp 20:42 for the professor roasting the link between CTE and suicide. Firstly blows to the head are serious business. Links have been established between blows to the head and extensively studied neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Nevertheless in the USA the disease CTE has in the recent past blown up receiving a massive amount of media attention. Media outlets have depicted CTE as a serious condition that was long suppressed by the NFL. This is at odds with the media coverage in other countries. In Britain the British Medical Journal published an article in 2015 where they described CTE as “as defined in America not a neurological entity but social specific cultural phenomenon” source; Brain damage in American Football Even in America scientists have had articles peer reviewed and published that question the existence of CTE. Professor Christopher Randolph publishes an article titled “CTE is not a real disease?”. Source; https://scholar.google.com/scholar?...eal+disease&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&u=#p=Zr82OK51mkgJ Meanwhile other scientists such as Andrew Gardner have postulated that what is being described as CTE is in fact two or more separate diseases that are the result of concussions or repeated concussions. There have also been several reported cases now of people who have miss self diagnosed with CTE only to later kill themselves and on autopsy be found to have another condition that was treatable. So what do you think? Is the hype warranted because the condition is potentially so bad? Or is the hype doing more harm than good when the condition is so poorly understood?
This would be a great debate to have, amongst those with relevent medical experience. Aside from that, anything that decreased TBI's is a good thing. Whether or not the current American model is completely accurate or not.
We here in San Diego lost an icon due to suicide from CTE, Junior Seau. I really could care less what this professor says. Sure, it is a new thing we are learning about. So, mistakes are being made in diagnosing it or ruling out other options. We are on the path to more knowledge and that is a good thing. The path will be rocky and have mistakes. That is, unfortunately, the way it works.
CTE is found in 99% of former NFL players. What the debate in the video seems to center around is it's classification as a disease, as in degenerative. Not whether or not NFL players are suffering inordinately from the dramatic effects of early onset dementia. They are. BU Researchers Find CTE in 99% of Former NFL Players Studied I should also like to point out, CTE also affects European football and rugby. Brain Trauma Scientists Turn Their Attention to Soccer
