Cte

/ˌsiː.tiː.ˈiː/ noun

Definition

Short for 'Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy,' a degenerative brain condition caused by repeated head trauma, commonly associated with contact sports.

Etymology

Medical acronym from 'Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy,' combining Greek 'en-' (in), 'kephalos' (head), and '-pathy' (disease) to describe brain disease caused by trauma.

Kelly Says

CTE represents how science reveals hidden costs of cultural practices—it wasn't widely recognized until the 2000s when autopsy studies of deceased athletes showed that repeated concussions could destroy brains years after playing stopped.

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