researchers are not 100 per cent certain what happens in the brain to cause the symptoms of cte, however,
autopsies have shown reduced brain volume
and
neurofibrillary tangles
among other physical signs.
in
a healthy neuron
, a protein called tau helps build structures called microtubules, which the neuron uses as a sort of railroad to transport nutrients from one end of the cell to another — an important structure considering neurons can grow to be more than a metre long. in a brain cell that has developed neurofibrillary tangles, the tau clumps together, causing the microtubule to collapse and interfere with the necessary functions of the cell. due to the damage, the cell begins to die and the complex network that allows us to think, feel, and function is impaired.
athletes with longer careers are more likely to develop cte. this includes amateur athletes as well;
according to
the concussion legacy foundation, children who start playing tackle football at five years of age have ten times more risk of developing cte in their lifetime than an athlete who started playing tackle football at 14.
even as the knowledge and education around the risks or concussions and head injuries become widespread, the culture of “playing through the pain” persists. in 2018,
a study released
by mcgill university estimated that roughly 82 per cent of cfl players who had experienced injuries or symptoms that could indicate a concussion did not report the event. some athletes went so far as to hide their symptoms.