Football and Brain Health

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Objective

I can analyze the potential long-term effects of football on brain health, including CTE.

Part 1 of 4

Warm-up video

Boston University · 5:19

We don't generate video — this one is by Boston University on YouTube. The practice questions and exit ticket below were drafted by AI for this objective, and every question is editable in the teacher guide.

Part 2 of 4

Key concepts

3 concepts

  1. 1

    Dr. McKee's lab analyzes donated brains to diagnose conditions like CTE by examining slides for abnormal protein buildup.

  2. 2

    CTE is characterized by the accumulation of tau protein around blood vessels, affecting brain regions differently than Alzheimer's disease.

  3. 3

    Each 2.6 years of playing football doubles the risk of developing CTE, regardless of the level of play (NFL or peewee).

Part 3 of 4

Practice

12 questions

1

What is CTE?

2

According to Dr. McKee, what was surprising about the first football player's brain she examined with CTE?

Part 4 of 4

Exit ticket

Quick comprehension check

According to Dr. McKee's research, what is the relationship between the number of years someone plays football and their risk of developing CTE?

Sample answer included in the free materials

Get the materials

Teacher guide, student handout, and slides — free, in Google Docs format

  • Teacher Guide

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