ConneCTErs Australia
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  • About Us
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  • The Team
  • HELP OUR CAUSE
  • TACKLE CTE
ConneCTErs Australia
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Support
  • The Team
  • HELP OUR CAUSE
  • TACKLE CTE

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Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

ConneCTErs Australia is empowering and supporting individuals and the community to better understand prevention, access the required medical and emotional support, receive education, work in partnerships, and participate and contribute to the research of CTE.  

What is CTE?

CTE is a type of dementia (degenerative brain disease) involving many repeated injuries to a person’s head.  It is thought that brain vibration, inflammation, or a person’s genetic profile may play a role in the development of CTE dementia. 


Those at high risk of CTE are people who have experienced repeated concussive and sub-concussive head impacts over a period of time. CTE is a preventable condition through the avoidance or minimisation of head injury. Good concussion management is likely to be an important aspect of preventative care. 

What is else do we know about CTE?

  •  You’re unlikely to develop CTE from only one or a few knocks to the head.
  • Repeated knocks to your head damage your brain over time. 
  • CTE is often seen in people who have played contact sports or sports with risk of head knocks, experienced assaults, have been in active war zones or exposed   to explosions, and have experienced multiple falls with head knocks. 
  • If a person is suspected to have developed CTE, avoiding alcohol, smoking and illicit substances is important to minimise the worsening of symptoms and progression of the disease. 
  • There are probable risks associated with people sustaining repeated head knocks and injuries, and drinking alcohol or using illicit substances.

Did you know not all concussions have signs and symptoms?

Concussions and sub-concussions impact the brain and can cause injury

Our medical and research experts for CTE advise that both concussion and sub-concussions contribute to CTE, empahising the importance of being aware that even without clinical symptoms, damage to the brain can occur. 


The Brain Foundation helpfully describes a concussion and sub-concussion. 

  • A concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury that can occur when the head or body experiences a sudden impact or jolt. 
  • The impact causes brain strain with resultant inflammation, damage to neurons, and a change in your metabolic state.
  • Concussion was once believed to be a minor injury that does not cause ongoing complications. However, new research has found that 20-50% of patients report persistent side effects beyond one month.
  • A sub-concussion refers to head injuries that do not result in the clinical symptoms of a concussion but can carry less, equal or greater force than a concussion.


ConneCTErs Australia's take home message is aligned with the experts saying, if in doubt, sit it out. This is to give the brain time to recover even when there are no signs or symptoms. 

SYMPTOMS OF CTE

Thinking

Memory loss

Cognitive difficulties and changes 

Learning difficulties 

Poor concentration 

Confusion

Loss of sense of direction 

Brain fog 

Headache or head pressure

Increased disorientation

Struggling to remember names of people and things

Unexplained stopping mid-conversation

Mood

Anxiety and panic attacks

Unexplained worrying and sadness

Depression 

Suicidal thinking 

Impulsivity 

Loss of empathy

Rollercoaster emotions and difficulties regulating mood

Reduction in desire to socialise

Behaviour

Rage and unexplained anger

Agitation

Loss of motivation

Reduced social activity 

Wandering 

Slowness or Parkinson's-like changes

Noticeable changes to personality and out of character behaviour

Difficulties coping

Repeating stories and being stuck on topics that cause increased emotions

Function

Noticeable decreases in some body functions (ie. walking steady, swallowing, coordination)

Experiencing difficulties with talking and finding words

Difficulties with cooking 

Difficulties with driving 

Changes in ability doing jobs or tasks that were previously easy or routine


CTE Community

Our recommendation

Michael and Frankie Lipman provide an honest and powerful story. Do yourself a favour and read it!

ConneCTErs Australia want people living with symptoms of CTE and their loved ones to know there are courageous people in our great country who have and still continue to bring awareness and better understanding of CTE though their own stories and on different platforms.

What People Are Saying About ConneCTErs Australia

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