Objective: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that has been associated with repetitive head trauma, primarily found in athletes involved in contact sports. The purpose of this paper is to look at CTE effects and long-term concussion effects on athletes of all age ranges and skill levels, along with discussing next steps for research.

Methods: Evaluating current understandings and findings of CTE in professional athletes and how sports laws are being put in place to decrease the risks associated with concussions and traumatic brain injuries in youth athletes.

Results: With many National Football League (NFL) players being diagnosed with CTE after post-mortem autopsies, and lawsuits against the NFL due to concussions and CTE findings; the law is beginning to have a bigger impact on CTE. With new NFL rule changes to promote safety, youth sport laws and regulations are being put in place to help protect developing children from the potential long-term brain injuries due to contact sports. These laws help make youth less susceptible to concussions and developing CTE later in life. Washington was the first state to pass a youth sport concussion law, Lystedt Law in 2009. Now every state in the United States has a law that addresses traumatic brain injuries in youth sports.

Conclusions: This neurodegenerative disease is better understood by looking at the clinical symptoms, the common changes seen in the brain, neuropathology changes and the proteins that are believed to play an important role in CTE. It is important to promote concussion awareness in a variety of different ways that inform the athletes, their families, coaches, and the general public. Information should be provided on concussion prevention, diagnosis, treatment and maintenance, along with general CTE information.