What is killing young athletes at the peak of physical performance? A medical bank of over 1,000 brains and 30 years of study shine a spotlight on the cause

 Dr Ann McKee is a world-renowned neurologist and the Director of Boston University’s CTE and Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centres. She leads groundbreaking research on the fatal neurodegenerative disease known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

In this conversation, Dr Ann and Steven discuss topics such as, the devastating symptoms of CTE, how young athletes are at risk of CTE, why the NFL are keeping the disease a secret, and the health risks of heading a football. 

00:00 Intro

02:14 Ann McKee's Mission on CTE

03:37 What Is CTE?

05:05 Sports Most Likely to Cause CTE

06:06 How Fragile Is the Human Brain?

06:41 What Ann McKee Does in Her Research

07:15 The First Time Ann Saw a Brain with CTE

10:39 How Many Athletes Have CTE?

12:26 How CTE Affects Daily Life

13:58 Young Athletes Impacted by CTE

14:33 Wyatt Bramwell’s Story: A Tragic Case of CTE

18:08 When Do Signs of CTE First Appear?

21:21 How Does CTE Develop in the Brain?

23:48 Jeff Astle: CTE in Soccer

24:45 Challenges in Raising Awareness About CTE

27:42 The NFL's Contact With Ann McKee

28:17 The NFL’s Early Reactions to CTE

30:01 The Impact of CTE on Families

30:29 Why Ann McKee Cares About the Families

32:26 The Pressure of Studying CTE

32:58 The NFL's Shift on CTE and Lawsuits

34:36 Owain Thomas: CTE Case Study

36:08 NFL Helmet Safety and CTE

37:51 The Four Stages of CTE Explained

40:22 Aaron Hernandez: The Link to CTE

44:28 Mike Webster's Battle with CTE

45:14 The Progress Ann McKee Wants to See in CTE Research

46:17 Do We Really Need Contact in Sports?

50:18 Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Brain Health

53:16 Are Brain Diseases Like CTE Increasing?

53:46 How Inflammation in the Brain Worsens Diseases

56:50 Ann McKee’s Advice for Parents of Young Athletes

58:22 Ann’s Message to the NFL and Sports Organisations

59:33 The Final Question: What's Next for CTE Research?

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