what is the brain disease cte
CTE At a Glance: Click to View Infographic. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans, and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma. In CTE, a protein called Tau forms clumps that slowly spread throughout the brain, killing brain cells. CTE has been seen in people as young as 17, but symptoms do not generally begin appearing until years after the onset of head impacts. Early symptoms of CTE usually appear in a patient's late 20s or 30s, and affect a patient's ...