CTE
CTE (CHRONIC TRAUMATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY)
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STAGES OF CTE
CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) develops slowly over many years, often beginning long after an athlete has stopped competing. Because it is a progressive and degenerative disease, its symptoms appear in stages and gradually worsen over time. Researchers generally identify three main stages of CTE progression.
Early, Mid, and late stages of CTE
Stage 1
The early stage
In the early stage, symptoms are usually mild and can easily be mistaken for stress, fatigue, or aging. People may experience frequent headaches, mood swings, irritability, forgetfulness, and difficulty concentrating. At this point, brain changes are starting, but the person can usually function normally in everyday life.
Stage 2
The mid stage
As the disease moves into the mid stage, symptoms become more noticeable and begin to affect daily activities and relationships. Fighters in this stage often experience emotional instability, confusion, impulsivity, sleep problems, and chronic fatigue. These changes are caused by increasing damage in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, which control emotions, judgment, and memory.
Stage 3
The late stage
In the late stage of CTE, brain damage becomes severe, leading to major cognitive and emotional decline. This stage is often characterized by dementia, depression, loss of motivation, memory loss, and difficulty thinking clearly or performing simple tasks. In some cases, speech and movement problems also develop.
CTE can take many years or even decades to move through these stages, and once symptoms begin, they tend to worsen over time. The earlier the condition is recognized, and preventive actions are taken, the greater the chance of slowing or reducing further brain damage.