Dr. Bennet Omalu is the forensic pathologist credited with the discovery of the degenerative brain disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE. Omalu first came into contact with CTE when he was working at the Pittsburgh coroner’s office, when he was tasked with performing the autopsy on famous Steeler’s center Mike Webster. He eventually came to believe that the depression and dementia Webster had suffered prior to his death was linked to the hits he took playing football.
Omalu recently penned an op-ed that appeared in the New York Times, in which he made the case that young people should not play football until their brains are fully formed, between 18 and 25 years old. It’s a recommendation that, if widely followed, could permanently cripple the NFL Omalu contends that he has nothing against the sport, but to ignore the correlation between contact sports and brain trauma could put thousands of children at risk of mental disorders later in life.
“If you are an adult and — as a physician and a pathologist — I educate you on the dangers and risks of some activity, like smoking or playing football, and you make up your mind to play, I would be one of the first to stand by you to defend your right,” he says. “Even if you take a gun [and] place it on your head to shoot yourself, you have the right to do that. This is America. But as a modern society, I believe we are morally bound to protect the most vulnerable — our children —like we have done with smoking.”
Omalu says there’s no such thing as a safe blow to the head. He’s optimistic that helmet designers will find new ways to protect the brain, but he says the helmets currently available do little to prevent trauma. Given this, Omalu argues that the choice should be clear for parents.
“Knowing what we know now, do we continue to expose our children intentionally to the risk of brain damage?”, the doctor who discovered Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.
His story is told in the movie “Concussion,” where he’s played by the actor Will Smith.
LAIST, Dec 23, 2015, https://laist.com/shows/take-two/dr-bennet-omalu-and-the-autopsy-that-shook-the-nfl
Early symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy may not be noticeable at first.
They may include:
- mood changes, such as depression or suicidal thoughts
- personality changes
- behaviour changes, such as aggression and mood swings
As the condition gets worse, you’ll have more noticeable problems with thinking and memory.
Symptoms include:
- short-term memory loss
- confusion, such as getting lost or not knowing what time of day it is
- difficulties with planning and organization
- problems with movement
Symptoms usually start gradually, often around 10 years after having repeated head injuries.
The symptoms may get worse gradually or stay the same for years before getting worse.
These symptoms can be caused by many different conditions. Having them does not definitely mean you have CTE. But it’s important to get them checked by a GP.
NHS, Page last reviewed: 29 December 2022, next review due: 29 December 2025, https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-traumatic-encephalopathy/