CNN news 2013-01-15 加文本

cnn news 2013-01-15

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is usually called CTE. It's a brain disease that can lead to dementia, memory lose or depression. Officials say it's sometime seen in people after they suffer multiple hits to the head. The National Institutes of Health says it's a disease that former NFL linebacker Junior Seau had. He played 20 years in the league. Last May, he took his own life. Seau's family donated his brain for research, that's how doctors discovered that he had CTE. Experts say being exposed to repeated head trauma doesn't necessarily mean that you will get this disease. But a recent study found signs of CTE in the brains of 34 out of 35 former pro-football players. Thousands of former players are suing the NFL. They say the league ignored and then denied the link between football and brain damage. NFL officials have changed several rules and made new policies to focus on head trauma and the possible dangers it might cause. This isn't just an issue at the professional level. It can happen to younger players too.

It was October 28th, 2010, the last game of the senior year, the best game of his career. He ran for two touch downs, 165 yards in just the first two quarters. And then two minutes before half time,  he walked off the field, screamed that his head hurt and he collapsed.  Nathan dies early the next morning.

Nathan died of second impact syndrome. Early in the month at a home coming game, he got a concussion. Everyone including Nathan's doctor thought it had healed. The Stlis would find meaning in Natian's tragic death because of this woman.

"I think the last time you were hear we had maybe five brains. And now we are up to, we are in the 90s."

Dr. Ann McKee runs the world`s largest brain bank. It's a joint project between the Veterans Administration and Boston University. I first met her several years ago when she began finding evidence in the brains of deceased NFL players of unnatual tau-protein deposits. Those are the same kinds of proteins found in Alzheimer's patients. It's called Chronic Traumati Encephalopathy. It's a progressive degenerative disease which leads to dementia and Alzheimer's like symptoms. But the difference is these symptoms are usually found in people in their 80s, not their 40s.

"What we are seeing here, is this definitely caused by blows to the head."

"It's never been seen in any reported case, except in the case repeated blows to the head."

And that`s exactly what the Stiles wanted to know when they donated Nathan`s brain to McKee center. Did repeated blows to the brain cause that kind of damage in young Nathan`s brain? And the answer was yes. Under the microscope...

"That's really obvious, Dr. Mckee."

We saw a tell-tale signs of tau-protein.

"Did this surprise you?"

"Yes, it definitely did. It can start very early."

"That's amazing. 17 years old."

"Yeah, 17."

When the young developing brain is hit during football, no matter how hard, the brain is rocked. It's like an egg inside a shell. It stretches the delicate fibers pulled, fluids violently sloshed around the brain trying to absorb the blow.

"Youth are at risk for any changes in that fluids balance. And they may not be able to handle it as well."

"Sounds like you're saying they're more at risk than the adults."

"Oh, absolutely."