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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
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