Victoria Wilson

Miss Thomson
AP English Language and Composition
23 January, 2018

Long Term Truth: The Effects of Head Trauma

Research shows,“Between 1.7 and 3 million sports- and recreation-related concussions

happen each year. All concussions are serious; at least two of ten high school students on a

sports team will be diagnosed with one within the season” (“Concussions, Facts, and Stats”).

Head related trauma can have extreme effects on a person’s mental and emotional capabilities

possibly changing their lives forever. The effect of concussions on sustaining basic skills of

memory, sleeping soundly, and in extreme cases cognitive skills can severely impact an athlete’s

mental and emotional development. After a concussion is diagnosed, the athlete is three to six

times more likely to receive a second one (“What is CTE?”). Knowing these statistics, a person

suffering from periodic concussions increases the risk of developing a more serious neurological

injury such as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy later in life.

The brain is an extremely important organ for the body controlling function and

development through a series of nerves. There are four regions of the brain that impact cognitive

(language), movement, and thought process of humans (“Human Brain: Major Structures and

their Functions”). All parts of the brain have a specific function. These functions when properly

working together help an athlete understand the fundamentals of their sport, by introducing

movement with the ability to understand a coach, and make “play-making” decisions. The two

hemispheres of the brain: the left and right are the major division that separate the brain. The left

brain contains the speech and language, it also is the area in which logic such as math and facts
are associated with. The right half of the brain usually involves the creative side being arts and

music (“Human Brain: Facts, Functions & Anatomy”). Everyone uses both halves of their brain.

The brain of an athlete, much like a musician, is very complex as both hemispheres work

together in order to help the athlete grow and develop, in their sport and day to day function.

The threat of a concussion can occur during a contact sport or even an accident during a

ballet routine, resulting in a long recovery process through a protocol. A concussion does not

need to involve a loss of consciousness. The basic definition of a concussion is that the patient’s

brain hits their skull and the skull cannot absorb all force. This results in the brain and all the

nerves taking the force (American Association of Neurological Science. “Concussions and Head

Injuries”). Symptoms of a concussion can include nausea, headaches, dizziness, balance

problems, memory difficulties, and difficulty communicating (Stop Sports Injuries

“Concussion”). No matter the severity of the injury, all patients receive a treatment plan. In

order to return to sports, the athletes needs to undergo a physical and mental examination as well

as a doctors approval. After the patient is cleared to play by a medical professional it is up to

either the parent or the athlete over the age of 18, to return back to sports. These protocols state

that a player must pass the necessary neurological examination in order to return to play

(“Concussion Protocol”). The athlete can easily obtain clearance and return to sports, where they

could hit their head again and possibly cause even more serious injury.

A singular concussion in the absence of other brain trauma has never been seen to cause

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease. CTE and concussions are

related, but not the same. Research on this degenerative brain disease suggests, CTE is not

caused by any single injury, but rather it is caused by years of regular, repetitive brain trauma.
There are also many individuals who suffer years of head impacts, but do not develop CTE.

“Sub-concussive hits are those that are below that concussion threshold: the brain is shaken, but

not so violently that the damage to brain cells is severe enough to see through symptoms” (“Sub-

concussive Impacts”). In Sub-concussive instances a person is not fully inhibited by this trauma

but receives minor brain cell damage. Experiencing constant sub-concussive hits which over

time can lead to CTE. The disease can only be diagnosed after death with an autopsy report.

Concussions and CTE can have major effects that can result in degeneration leading to death.

Mike Webster, much like many other victims of CTE, was a normal NFL athlete and father.

Webster was revered by his peers as,”(a) quiet, determined man who seemed blessed with a

photographic memory—and who studied the game as if every play depended on him”. One of

his teammates Franco Harris said about Iron Mike Webster, “You look at the center position as

the foundation, Mike was a guy you could always count on” (Reader’s Digest. “Before

‘Concussion’: An Inside Glimpse of NFL Player Mike Webster’s Utterly Tragic Final Days”).

Playing the Center position exposed Mike to a lot of hard hits, not to mention he so far has been

the only player to excel in 15 seasons and over 220 games. This lasting legacy introduced him to

a series of brain trauma. Webster was a strong athlete but when his time in the NFL ended, so

did his memory. Webster’s short of life ended in a series of financial strains, divorce, doctors

visits, medication, and he even attempted to end his life. Like many of these stories of CTE

victims, Mike Webster suffered memory loss, extreme depression, and his wife a the time noticed

a “change” in his personality. Before his death, Webster went to see a doctor who asked if he

had been in any car accidents. Webster replied,”I’ve been in 350,000 car accidents”(“Mike

Webster”). At the young age of 50, Mike Webster died of a heart attack, this heart attack was an
effect of his diminishing physical state. An autopsy report later showed a significant amount of

Tau clumps, which spread at an extremely slow rate causing symptoms to catch on at a later date

(Concussion Legacy Foundation. “The Science of CTE”). Webster’s final diagnoses was

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Stage Three.

The effects of CTE vary in 4 different stages. Stage One is the most commonly marked

by headaches, and loss of attention and concentration. Some individuals experience short-term

memory problems, depression, aggressive tendencies, and executive function issues. Stage Two

symptoms include depression, mood swings, headache, and short-term memory loss top the list

of most frequently experienced symptoms. A smaller percentage of patients experience

executives dysfunction, impulsivity, suicidal thoughts and language challenges. Stage Three is

memory loss, executive days unction, attention and concentration issues, depression, mood

swings, visuospatial difficulties and aggression. Apathy also appears in this stage and 75% of

Stage Three individuals studied were considered cognitively impaired. Stage Four is the final

stage marked by severe cognition problems and memory loss, with many having progressed to

full dementia. Symptoms in this stage include profound loss of attention and concentration,

paranoia, depression, gait and visuospatial difficulties, executive days unction, language

difficulties, and aggression (“Going through the Stages”). Symptoms impair

A wide variety of football, hockey, soccer, and boxers have been diagnosed with CTE. In

many different cases discovered in recent years, this neurological degeneration has effected

hundreds of victims and there families. Mike Webster only happened to be the first discovered

with the disease. CTE, Concussions, and Sub-concussive impacts all leave serious affects on a

person’s brain. The human brain is extremely complex and contributes to movement, thought
and language. Even the smallest hit to the head can cause injury. Someone suffering from a

concussion periodically, risks the development of a more serious neurological injury. The

bottom line is that brain injury is severe, and has the potential to become deadly.
 Works Cited

“Brain.” Human Brain: Information, Facts and News, 15 Sept. 2017,

www.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-body/brain/.

“Concussions Facts and Statistics.” Concussion Statistics and Facts | UPMC | Pittsburgh, Pa
www.upmc.com/Services/sports-medicine/services/concussion/Pages/facts-statistics.aspx.

Drenon, Tyler. “Webster Autopsy Significant Moment in Sports.” Behind the Steel Curtain,
Behind the Steel Curtain, 8 Oct. 2013, www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/10/8/4814434/
concussion-suit-mike-webster-thing.

Gordon, Meryl. “Before 'Concussion': Mike Webster's Shattered Life.” Reader's Digest, Reader's
Digest, 6 June 2017, www.rd.com/health/conditions/mike-webster-brain-injury/.

Society, CTE. “Going through the Stages of CTE.” The CTE Society, www.ctesociety.org/going-
through-the-stages-of-cte/.

Stites, Adam. “How Does the NFL's Concussion Protocol Work?” SBNation.com,
SBNation.com, 18 Sept. 2016, www.sbnation.com/nfl/2016/9/18/12940926/nfl-concussion-
protocol-explained.

“The Science of CTE.” Concussion Legacy Foundation, 20 July 2017,

concussionfoundation.org/CTE-resources/science-of-CTE.

“What Is CTE?” Concussion Legacy Foundation, 30 Aug. 2017, concussionfoundation.org/CTE-

resources/what-is-CTE.

“What Is CTE?” What Is CTE? | Brain Injury Research Institute, www.protectthebrain.org/

Brain-Injury-Research/What-is-CTE-.aspx.