Traumatic Brain Injury & Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

“Do I have CTE?”

With as commonly as it’s being talked about on news broadcasts, various articles, and on social media, it’s no wonder that we here at the Brain Injury Alliance of Iowa are receiving more and more questions about this brain disease. But what really is CTE? And what is the likelihood that an individual can be impacted by this disease?

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, more commonly known as CTE, is a degenerative brain disease that can be found in individuals that have a history of multiple traumatic brain injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CTE is defined as “a brain disease that results from changes in the brain. These changes can affect how a person thinks, feels, acts, and moves. Traumatic brain injuries, including concussions, and repeated hits to the head, called subconcussive head impacts, may lead to CTE.”

While there is a lot of research currently taking place about this progressively degenerative disease, there is a lot of information that is still unknown. What are some of the signs of CTE? How do I find out if I have CTE? What can I do if I think I have CTE?

To help address some of the questions that individuals may have about CTE, the CDC recently put together a handout to help individuals learn more about CTE. CLICK HERE to read more.