Domestic Violence Victims May Develop The Same Brain Disease To Those Of Football Players

An evidence indicates that domestic violence victims are developing the same disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) to those of the football players. This degenerative brain disorder is found in people who had a severe blow or repeated blows to the head.

Susan Contreras, 47, survived a physically abusive relationship. She is now showing signs of CTE-like symptoms as a result of domestic violence, according to Associated Press. The physicians found that her memory loss, headaches, and bouts of confused thinking were caused by domestic violence.

"He would hit me mainly in the head so that nobody would see the injuries. He'd hit me in the back of the head so the bruises wouldn't show," said Contreras. She took the abuses emotionally but never considered that her brain might be damaged. "Honestly, there're so many holes in my memory, thinking problems," added Contreras. "My memory is really gone."

Jacquelyn Campbell, a professor at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and a researcher explained that if a woman comes in with a black eye...you need to provide some good neurological workups like the help that is being provided to the veterans with traumatic brain injury, as noted by Motto. The medical professionals verified that women who suffered from physical abuse such as frequently hitting them in the head were often not examined for brain damage. On the other hand, this could lead to CTE.

The chronic traumatic encephalopathy is also called dementia pugilistica (DP). Those who are engaged in boxing may develop this brain disease. It is also most commonly found in professional athletes who play in ice hockey, football, rugby, stunt performing, professional wrestling, rodeo, bull riding and other contact sports who may suffer from concussions or another brain trauma. It is associated with confusion, memory loss, mood changes that include depression and dementia. Experts think that those who survive the domestic violence might be at risk.