Football and CTE
How Head trauma causes CTE. Why football players are more prone to get CTE. Why the starting age of football affects CTE and why the starting age of tackle football should be changed.
Sample Solution
Head trauma can cause CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) by damaging the brain cells, leading to a buildup of a protein called tau.How Head trauma causes CTE.
Head trauma can cause CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) by damaging the brain cells, leading to a buildup of a protein called tau. Tau is thought to affect how nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other, and when it accumulates it can lead to physical changes in the brain that eventually lead to memory loss, impaired judgment and other symptoms associated with CTE. Head trauma causes CTE when these physical changes occur over an extended period of time due to repeated or intense head impacts or blows.
Why football players are more prone to get CTE.
Football players are more prone to CTE due to the high risk of head impacts and collisions that occur in the sport. The physical contact associated with tackling and blocking is a major factor, as it increases the likelihood of players receiving frequent blows or jolts to their heads, which can cause cumulative damage over time. Additionally, football helmets do not completely protect against head trauma, as they are designed to reduce the force of an impact but not prevent them entirely.
Why the starting age of football affects CTE
The starting age of football affects CTE because the younger a player is, the more likely they are to suffer from cumulative damage due to head impacts and collisions. Younger players are still developing physically and neurologically, which makes them more vulnerable to sustaining head trauma. Additionally, children's brains are not equipped with the same level of protection as adults', so any impact can be much more damaging to them than it would be for an adult player.
why the starting age of tackle football should be changed.
The starting age of tackle football should be changed in order to reduce the risk of CTE and other long-term head injuries. By delaying the start of full contact play, it can mitigate the frequency and intensity of impacts that a player receives, giving their brain more time to mature and develop protective mechanisms against trauma. Additionally, introducing alternative non-contact versions of the game can give players an opportunity to practice the sport without exposing them to unnecessary risks. Furthermore, better equipment such as specialized helmets can also provide additional protection for young players who are still learning how to properly tackle and block safely.