David Duerson Gave His Brain to Science for a Reason

CNN has an article about the late Chicago Bears safety David Duerson, who left a note requesting that his brain be studied before shooting himself in the chest.

As with other athletes exposed to repeated brain trauma, Duerson's brain showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a dementia-like brain disease.

"Dave Duerson had classic pathology of CTE and no evidence of any other disease," said Dr. Ann McKee, a neuropathologist with the Bedford VA medical center, and co-director of the Boston University School of Medicine Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy. "He had severe involvement of areas that control judgment, inhibition, impulse control, mood and memory."

CTE has been found in the brains of 14 of 15 former NFL players thus far studied at the Boston University center....