‘We need to protect the brain’ Addressing the growing problem of chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Football is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States. Scholarships to play football allow many young men to pursue an education they otherwise might not be able to afford. In states where no professional teams are based, collegiate football is king.
Perhaps most disturbing is that players who develop symptoms of CTE, or are at risk, are unlikely to seek psychiatric help. We, as psychiatric clinicians, must be diligent about questioning young patients about their extracurricular activities. It is not enough to simply ask about a history of head trauma: Ask patients about any blow to the head, and don’t limit your questioning to whether they sustained a “concussion” during practice or play.
When speaking with adult and geriatric patients, ask about a history of playing interscholastic or collegiate contact sports, such as football, hockey, and soccer.
Is the solution to better shield the head?
That is not a solution: Helmets and other protective headgear appear to be insufficient to protect the brain from traumatic injury. Perhaps keeping children from engaging in violent sports that put them at high risk of CTE later is the preventive approach that merits the most attention.
