Junior SeauWIKIMEDIA, JJ HALLJunior Seau’s brain showed abnormalities consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative disease associated with repetitive head injuries, when the linebacker committed suicide last May, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Seau, who played for the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and New England Patriots during his 20-season NFL career, is the third player to have his suicide linked to brain trauma.
“It was important to us to get to the bottom of this, the truth,” Gina Seau, Junior’s ex-wife, told CBS News, “and now that it has been conclusively determined from every expert that he had obviously had it, CTE, we just hope it is taken more seriously. You can't deny it exists, and it is hard to deny there is a link between head trauma and CTE.”
CTE is usually found in individuals who have suffered repeated concussions or other head injuries, and is associated with dementia, memory loss, aggression, confusion, and depression, which can surface months to decades after the injuries occurred. Doctors have diagnosed dozens of football players with the disease.
“I was not surprised after learning a little about CTE that he ...
