Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) presents with symptoms that overlap with many other conditions. Doctors may not connect symptoms to past head trauma without a detailed patient history, mistaking CTE for metabolic issues like diabetes or psychological conditions like PTSD, especially in military veterans.
A key challenge in treating CTE is that individuals with the condition, such as athletes and veterans, often lack self-awareness of their cognitive and behavioral changes. They can recognize symptoms in others but not themselves. This makes it essential for family and friends to identify out-of-character behavior and guide them toward help.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) treats CTE by increasing atmospheric pressure, simulating being underwater. This allows blood to behave like a gas, enabling oxygen to bypass blockages and reduce inflammation in the brain. This same effect is achieved through deep-sea diving, which is used as a treatment in Europe.
Despite evidence of its effectiveness for conditions like CTE, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is not widely used due to its high cost and lack of insurance coverage. A full treatment course can exceed $12,000, making it inaccessible for most patients, including veterans and former athletes who need it most.
The guest connects the public safety crisis of mass shootings to untreated brain injuries in military veterans. Citing that 31% of mass shooters are veterans, he argues the issue is a neurological condition (CTE) causing them to act erratically, not a moral or ideological failing. Treating brain inflammation could be a key preventative measure.
There is a stark contrast in sports medicine between treating physical injuries and brain injuries. While a muscle strain has a defined recovery plan like ice and compression, a concussion often receives minimal intervention beyond rest. This leaves brain inflammation untreated, potentially leading to long-term conditions like CTE.