LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A note found on the man who opened fire at a New York City building is raising serious questions about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease often linked to repeated head trauma.
The NYC mayor says the shooter, 27-year-old Shane Tamura from Las Vegas, believed he had CTE and held a grudge against the NFL, even though he never played in the league. The man also asked that his brain be studied after his death.
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An autopsy is currently underway to look for signs of the disease.
Dr. Aury Nagy, a Las Vegas neurosurgeon, explained what CTE is and its warning signs.
"Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a disease that affects people who've been involved in active contact sports like boxing, football, hockey, people who've been in the military in combat situations repeatedly. It's a deceleration injury in which the cells in the brain appear to be getting injured in a way that they can't recover from," Nagy said.
When asked if the disease can be identified before death, Nagy confirmed it cannot.
"That's correct. There's not a definitive diagnosis. Patients will sometimes have symptoms of memory dysfunction or a labor mood, increased aggression, headaches, and sometimes, when it's severe motor dysfunction," Nagy said.
While CTE is rare, the effects can be serious, especially if warning signs are missed.
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