MYFL

CTE iNFORMATION

• C - Chronic
• T - Tramatic
• E - Encephalopathy
• A progressive degenerative brain disease.
• Progresses into dementia.
• Cause - repeated blows to the head.
• Head trauma causes a build up of an abnormal protein called Tau.
• It can only be diagnosed after death.

CTE SYMPTONS

• Memory Loss
• Mood Swings
• Difficulty Concentrating
• Possible Thoughts of Suicide
• Aggression
• Lack of Impulse Control

TAU IN THE BRIAN

• Tau is a hormone that is released from the gut.
• "Some research suggests that an exosome-based mechanism may be responsible for the release of tau proteins in Alzheimer’s disease."
• Found in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.
• http://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/What-are-Tau-Proteins.aspx

NFL PLAYER AFFECTED BY CTE

MIKE WEBSTER - IRON MIKE

• He played number 52 for the Steelers for 17 years. On September 24, 2002, Mike Webster died because of CTE. Bennet Omalu, the pathologist who studied Mike's brain said, "If Webster's brain hadn't been examined, we wouldn't be where we are today {with CTE}."

BEFORE HE DIED HE BECAME:

• Angry
• Had no patience
• No physical stamina
• Confused thiughts
• Couldn't sleep
• One time he got so angry that he slashed all of his football pictures that were in his house. He soon got divorced from how wife and started living out of a pickup truck.
• "Are you Mike Webster?" "I use to be."

Webster tried to fight the NFL to get monthly payments, but they wouldn't let him. The NFL hired a doctor and an investigator who both said that he deserves the monthly payments.

MORE NFL PLAYERS DIAGNOSED WITH CTE

• Adrian Robinson, 25 Andre Waters, 44 Chris Henry, 26 Dave Duerson, 50 Forrest Blue, 65 Javan Belcher, 25 Junior Seau, 43 Lew Carpenter, 78 Lou Creekmur, 82 Ray Easterling, 62 Terry Long, 45 Tyler Nash, 27

ZACH EASTER

Zach Easter played varsity football in Indianola, Iowa, for the high school. He started to get headaches during practice, but he never told anyone because he was trying to be the tough and independent person that everyone thought he was. During his senior year, he received three major concussions.

THREE cONCUSSION

• He got it during practice and he could barely talk, but he still preceded to practice. By the end of the practice, he could barely walk or call the plays.
• He got this one while playing a game. He does’t remember much, but he knows that he didn't get taken out of the game.
• This last concussion happened during a game. He doesn’t remember anything from this game or what had happened during it, except for the game tape. In the third quarter, he hit head to head with a player from the opposite team, but his helmet had came off and his head hit the player’s helmet. This ended his football career.

6 years post concussion

• Depression Anxiety Headaches Self-Hatred Self-Esteem Emotions Angry Outburst

On his 24th birthday, the doctor’s told him that they think he has CTE, but there is no definite way to diagnose it. He struggled silently with this because he didn’t want people to know because it was embarrassing. After a while he quit his job and started to drink.

“I feel like I’m loosing my thoughts. I can’t control them anymore. One minute I’m there, the next I don’t know where I am.”
-Zach Easter

CTE sTATISTICS

• 1 in 3 NFL players report suffering from some kind of brain trauma.
• Over 90% of NFL players that have donated their brains to be diagnosed and checked have CTE.

MY THOUGHTS

• For me, I think that parents should be advised of all of the dangers that football can cause to a person's brain. After they know of the dangers they should be able to make the choice themselves. So yes, Sioux Central should have an MYFL team.

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