Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE is a progressive degenerative brain disease found in people with a history of repeated brain trauma such as athletes who take part in "contact sports or members of the military." "CTE has been known to affect boxers since the 1920's when it was initially termed 'punch drunk' syndrome."

CTE "results in traumatic impacts to the cranium." The CTE Center at the Boston School of Medicine found that concussions over time can lead to a "cumulative effect" meaning that over a longer period of time, the number of hits administered or taken by a player could have a lasting effect on their brain.

"CTE is not limited to current professional athletes; it has also been found in athletes who did not play sports after high school or college." It is "associated with memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, impulse-control problems, aggression, depression, and eventually progressive dementia."

The repeated brain trauma from sports triggers an over-aggressive "degeneration" of brain tissue and causes the accumulation of an abnormal protein called tau. "These changes in the brain can begin months, years, or even decades after the last brain trauma or end of active athletic involvement." The CTE Center at the Boston School of Medicine did a brain matter study and took samples from a healthy 65-year-old, ex-player, John Grimsley, and a 73-year-old ex-boxer. In both samples, there were neurofibrillary tangles and damage to the amygdala and thalamus. Both are sections of the limbic system, located in the brain, which is responsible for one's emotions.

CTE can affect all ages, across all sports. In most cases, it is discovered post-mortem, after the patient has died from other causes. It has been found in baseball players, hockey players, wrestlers, and BMX riders. While many assume it is a disease mainly from high contact sports such as football, rugby or soccer, athletes in other sports with less contact are not "exempt."

The build-up of CTE can occur much faster than some think. The average career length of an NFL player is 3.5 years, NBA player is 4.8, MLB 5.6, and NHL 5.5. Sure, there are the Brett Favre and Roger Clemens of leagues that play for over 10 years, but they are not the norm.

This goes to show how powerful, yet sensitive the human brain is. It is the "command center" for the human nervous system and the sole organ in the body. It controls muscles' movements, emotions, and memory. But, at the same time, it can be damaged after undergoing trauma-causing many other problems within the human body.

Since its link to contact sports became more evident, many professional athletes have decided to retire early. And while some place more importance on it than others, it is important that the proper tests and/or regulations be implemented to diagnose the disease and treat it earlier.