Dementia in Contact Sport Athletes

Helen will share research that addresses the question ‘What is happening inside the brains of our top contact sport athletes?’ Many are experiencing symptoms of a degenerative condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (or CTE), a progressive brain disease that causes Dementia and is associated with repetitive head injuries. By examining the brains of former athletes after death, we can learn about the long-term consequences of concussions. This research can also help us to better understand other neurodegenerative diseases, as a history of repetitive head injuries is also a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.