22. Seau Suffered From Brain Disease

In the article written by Mary Pilon, she talks about the effect of the disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy on athletes. She begins by reporting findings that prove that Junior Seau, a former NFL linebacker who commited suicide last spring, suffered from CTE. CTE is a degenerative brain disease that is common in individuals who experience repeated head trauma. The disease is linked to a decline in cognitive abilities and some experts say is what cause Mr. Seau to commit suicide. Researchers at Boston University who have specialized in CTE performed autopsies on the brains of 34 former NFL players. 33 were confirmed to have CTE. CTE has now emerged as a major issue among football players which is why Mr. Seau's family decided to donate his brain for research.