3 Habits that are Hurting Your SAT Prep

3 Habits that are Hurting Your SAT Prep If youre a high school upperclassman, you know that time is precious. Between homework, sports, part-time jobs, and spending time with friends, your schedule is pretty full. For juniors and seniors that plan on taking the SAT, it can be difficult to find time to study before the test. Taking time to prepare for the SAT is essential to doing well, but its the quality, not the quantity, of studying time that can truly make a difference in your score. With that in mind, here are three habits that are hurting your SAT prep. 1. Crash studying for the SAT Dont think that just because the material on the SAT is material you may have already learned that you will be able to ace the test after only a few study sessions. Cramming a week before the SAT is like participating in a triathlon without ever training. Crash studying not only is an ineffective way to learn and remember content, but can also hurt you when it comes to test time. Learning so much information in a short period of time can leave you anxious and forgetful the last things you need to feel on test day. Having a strict study schedule that you adhere to is key to maximizing the time you spend studying. Spacing out your studying over several months will ensure that you arent cramming the week before the test. Instead of spending eight hours a night the week before the SAT trying to memorize information, spread that time out over at least three months. Plan to set aside an hour a day at the beginning of your study schedule to ease into studying, then amp up the amount of time as the test nears. Although some of the content may seem familiar, you will need to familiarize yourself with content you may not have seen in years and give your brain ample time to recall it. You may find working with aprep bookbeneficial. 2. Faking a SAT practice test Youve all heard the saying practice makes perfect, and the SAT is no exception. If you are taking SAT practice tests before the actual exam, you are on the right track in your studying course. Practice tests help you to familiarize yourself with the structure of the test questions and can provide you with valuable data regarding your strengths and weaknesses. However, if practice tests are not taken correctly, you could be wasting your time. [RELATED: How is the New SAT Scored?] When taking the practice test, it is important to choose a location that mimics the location you will be in when taking your SAT. Do not take a practice test in your living room with the TV on, laying in bed, or in a location where you know there will be distractions. Your goal is to prepare yourself for the same environment that you will be in when you take the real test. Create a good study environment, with a quiet, comfortable space and a desk. When you walk in to take the SAT, you want it to feel familiar. Simulating a practice test also means adhering to the rules that you will have to follow when taking the actual test. Do not use any tools to practice that you will not be able to use on the test. Furthermore, do not break up the test into sections over days or take longer breaks than you will be allowed on test day. Training your brain to focus throughout the whole test is vital to succeeding on the SAT. 3. Focusing on the what and not the why Getting the correct answer is of course the goal when taking the SAT. However, when studying for the test, the answer isnt the only thing that matters. After a practice test, it is important to look back at your incorrect answers and figure out why your answer was wrong, and why the correct answer was right. Each practice test and problem should be a learning experience, whether you originally got the answer right or wrong. The questions you see on practice tests will not be duplicated verbatim on the actual test, so memorizing an answer will only waste your time. Instead, focus on the type of mistake you made, and find out how to avoid making that type of mistake in the future. Similar questions will likely stump you on the actual test if they fooled you on the practice test, so focus on where your line of thinking went wrong. Ensuring that the time you spend studying for the SAT is spent in the correct way will determine your success come test day. Improper studying techniques can waste time and set back your studying schedule ultimately hurting your score on test day. Avoid these habits that are hurting your SAT prep, and you can maximize the quality of your studying.

Linguistic Difficulties When Learning Russian

Linguistic Difficulties When Learning Russian Why is Russian Difficult to Learn? ChaptersThe First Difficulty of the Russian Language: the Cyrillic AlphabetThe Second Difficulty of the Russian Language: An Often Complex PronunciationThe Third Difficulty of the Russian Language: The DeclensionsThe Fourth Difficulty of the Russian Language: Grammar and ConjugationRigor is Important if You Would Like to Speak Russian!Are you soon visiting the Moscow capital of Russia? Are you soon going on a several month language stay in Saint Petersburg? Are you looking to have a change of scenery and to discover more deeply what the Russian culture has to offer?In any case, knowing how to speak Russian can be an advantage and create a link with Russian locals.When attempting to learn a language, one must be aware of the language's main difficulties. Learning Russian presents some difficulties, as we will see, but arming yourself with willpower and motivation will remain your best weapon if you are looking to succeed!The Mosalingua platform, recognized among other things for its l anguage learning methods, classifies Dostoevsky's language as the third most complex language to learn after the difficult Mandarin and Arabic.According to the LA Times:There are aspects of Chinese that make it hard for foreigners to learn, and there are aspects that make it difficult for native Chinese. I think the one that gets the most press â€" and is in some sense the most controversial â€" is the Chinese characters. For alphabetic languages, there’s what they call a virtuous loop between the writing, speaking and listening â€" those three categories constitute one composite skill. But the problem with Chinese, and to some degree Japanese, is it breaks that loop. Speaking does not necessarily help your reading. Reading doesn’t necessarily help your writing. These become three different skills that have to be mastered in parallel, and separately.But though learning Russian will not be as difficult as learning to speak Mandarin Chinese, learning to speak Russian will not be a s easy as learning Spanish or French. However, this ranking remains totally subjective and will vary from one person to another.To cheer you up a bit, Ioannis Ikonomou, a European official in the Brussels Parliament and a man who is fluent in more than forty different languages, considers that the most complex language is Hungarian, before Mandarin Chinese or Russian...Rigor is Important if You Would Like to Speak Russian!Russian is far from the Latin alphabet. So don't forget to study up on that.We will never stop repeating it, but learning a foreign language cannot be improvised. Rigor, regular work, and motivation are the main ingredients for success. This is especially true in the case of learning Russian.To gain fluency in oral expression, why not decide to learn the Russian declensions via a worksheet and repeat this over several days. This will ultimately help you to gain a real handle on the Russian language and its particularities.As suggested by the Mosalingua method, lear ning a language requires an almost daily investment  if you want to perfect the assets your learned yesterday and incorporate the novelties you learned today. It is a long-term job, which will have to be repeated, day after day, to validate your skills, deepen certain notions, and progress in Russian quickly!If you are going to live in Russia, knowing more about the local culture will definitely come in handy.And don't forget: some of the greatest writers who’ve ever lived wrote only in Russian.  If you learn Russian, you’ll be able to read the likes of Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Bulgakov, Chekhov, Gogol, Pushkin, and many more, all in the original.In short:This article is not intended to discourage the learner in his quest for mastery of Pushkin's language. Nevertheless, it is a fair  warning about the difficulties of the Russian language and a reminder  that you will probably encounter them on your learning adventure.However, the picture is far from dreary. There are many aspects wh ere the Russian language is much simpler than others. For example, verb conjugation means that it is not necessary to use a pronoun, because the verbal forms are distinct and indirectly imply the said pronoun. Similarly, there is no hesitation between a definite or indefinite article. Many second language learners (for whom Russian is not a mother tongue) testify to the pleasure of speaking this language, which some truly consider to be a great work of art.Moreso than for any other language, it will not be possible to learn to speak Russian properly if one is not really motivated. It requires a well-defined learning objective and some real motivation (a long trip to Russia, working in Russia, a year of study in Moscow or Saint Petersburg, etc...).

Is It Hard To Learn Hindi

Is It Hard To Learn Hindi Is Learning Hindi Easy Or Difficult? ChaptersFacts About HindiSimilarities With Other LanguagesEasiest Ways To Learn How To Speak HindiLearning a new language, with all those new words and phrases, is always going to be a challenge for any learner, no matter how smart you are or how easily you learn new words to use in conversation. Even though many of us can get by when it comes to communicating with people who speak a foreign language, becoming proficient in their language generally takes time and a lot of effort. That is why learning the Hindi language is well worth it!That said, learning a new language doesn't have to be difficult. While it will challenge you, when you learn to speak a new language it is incredibly satisfying and many say that being bilingual or even multi-lingual makes you more intelligent.You will certainly impress if you come out with fluently spoken grammar and vocabulary in Hindi next time you visit India!So, what is there about the Hindi alphabet that resembles our own language? Start learning Hindi, which is said to be the language of India, and you could also then find easier to learn other languages and dialects spoken by Indians (as well as Indo Aryan languages) such as Bengali, Pakistan, Mumbai, Korean and Gujarati.Keeping the momentum up when learning a new language is key, and it couldn't be easier to do this than with a language app.Some of the most well-known apps are of course DuoLingo and Rocket Languages, but with the first being free many people will start with this cheaper option. What's more, with an app like DuoLingo, all you need to do is spend 5 minutes a day, 7 days of the week, studying or playing to progress your skills. While this sounds arduous, you will probably find yourself hooked and will spend far more time looking at your screen and going through the lessons than the bare minimum!If you are being serious about learning Hindi, why not hire a private Hindi tutor.However, you don't have to restrict yourself to apps designed as teaching resources . You could always search your chosen app store for games published in Hindi and try your hand at muddling your way through! Playing games definitely sounds more fun than studying for hours on end and it lets you have fun along the way!Radio and PodcastsWhile videos can offer something for your visual senses as well as your hearing, radio and podcasts shouldn't be ruled out as a method of language learning.If anything, having the radio playing in the background whilst focusing on other tasks around the house can sometimes be as beneficial as sitting down and studying for an hour or two. It's a bit like white noise - the comfort of the sounds you hear will envelop you and become second nature, making it so much easier to pronounce  words when you get around to speaking Hindi with others.One fabulous podcast for Hindi beginners is HindiPod 101, which features over 880 Audio and Video Lessons with engaging hosts. As well as the listening advantages, the podcast creators provide followe rs with learning tools like vocabulary flashcards and PDF lesson notes to take away and revise.Furthermore, there is a lively discussion forum for any queries relating to Hindi!Listening to the radio or podcasts is a great way to improve your language skills. Photo on VisualHuntGo Abroad!Finally, the easiest way to absorb a new language is to see first hand the culture of the country and hear the locals communicating with one another. In the county, you'll have visual prompts all around you such as road signs, places of interest and much more to help you to get by and have exchanges with the residents.By working or attending a study group in the country, you will no doubt master the language far more quickly than if you were sat at home at your desk. By using the language in its context, it is much more likely to stick in your brain for a lasting effect.

Summer School Tips for High Schoolers

Summer School Tips for High Schoolers You did it! You made it through finals and the end-of-the-school-year pushnow to arrive at the start of summer school. That could mean the dreaded return of early mornings and hours spent in the classroom, but it could also mean learning some interesting material and hanging out with friends from class. You may be wanting to make the summer school transition and experience as smooth and effective as possible. Summer school tips for high schoolers can include taking a break first, communicating with others about your expectations for the summer, keeping an open mind, and remaining focused on the goal at hand. Summer school tip #1: Take a break Hopefully youll have a window of time before you start summer school. Even if its just a weekend, take advantage of it. Think about what you were dreaming about doing while in the midst of studying. Was it sleeping in? Playing basketball with your friends? Catching up on all your favorite TV shows? Do those things! Theyll replenish you and help create a restful time. [RELATED: The Best Study Breaks: How to Avoid Study Overload] This is also a great habit to start cultivating before college. There is always work to be done, so its important to learn how to set aside healthy break time. Summer school tip #2: Be prepared for your summer school course(s) Before the start of summer school, make sure you know exactly what will be expected of you. This may include: specific books, notebooks, writing utensils, or other materials a varying time commitment transportation arrangements balancing any summer extracurriculars Gather your materials, get organized, and be prepared. This will help you jump into the course ready to learn and get as much out of the experience as possible. If you are spending part of the summer in the classroom, you want to put yourself in the best possible position to reap the benefits. Summer school tip #3: Stay focused on the goal There are several different reasons for attending summer school. Sometimes its to retake a course, get ahead, or pursue enrichment activities. These are all very different goals and require different tactics. If youre retaking a course, it might be good to pinpoint what didnt work in the course before. Were you getting enough support on homework? Did you find that a certain learning style didnt work for you? Some reflection might bring about more success this round. If youre trying to get ahead in a subject or try something new, check out your subject online and start previewing. Previewing helps with comprehending and remembering information long-term. Summer school tip #4: Figure out what kind of structure you need Some students know exactly what they need to bring about academic success. Some are still figuring it out. Wherever you are, create some sort of structure for your summer school class. Maybe its setting a timer for 30 minutes for an intensive, uninterrupted study time. Maybe its getting together with some new friends from class and making the material a little more fun and manageable. Or maybe its buying a planner and actually making a plan for the week every Sunday evening. Whatever it is, make a plan and stick to it throughout the summer. [RELATED: Time Management Tips for Students] Summer school tip #5: Keep an open mind Summer school can sometimes get a bad rap because, well, its school in the summer. But it doesnt have to be a negative experience. Without the pressure of having all of your classes at the same time and extracurriculars piled on top, you can really take the time to fully learn and understand the material in the class. You might not realize this now, but that time is a gift. Plus, your teacher might end up sparking your interest in something youve never thought of before, oryou might end up meeting your new best friend. Who knows! Keeping an open mind can bring about these possibilities. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

Why Music is a Great Extracurricular Activity

Why Music is a Great Extracurricular Activity Being well-rounded for college applications is of course one of the top reasons students join school organizations and clubs. However, there are a lot more benefits to be gained from extracurricular activities than extra bullet points on the resum. Extracurriculars can boost college successas well! With such an extensive selection of groups to choose from, how do you pick? You can find everything from sports to more academically-inclined societies to areas of the fine arts. One area of the fine arts that can be particularly good for students is music. It is difficult to find someone who does not enjoy and appreciate music on at least some level, so joining a music-related organization should be a no-brainer for many students who are looking for that perfect extracurricular. Your mainstream options in this field are band, orchestra, and choir each of them have great things to offer that can really give a student the support they need in a busy academic schedule. Often, students will fear that a time-consuming extracurricular activity will aggrandize their workload and increase stress levels, but the typical result is quite the opposite. In fact, most students end up learning to prioritize a lot better when they have highly demanding extracurriculars in their schedule. So why choose music? What music offers is much more detail-oriented programs that also allow students the opportunity to learn a whole new skill. Learning to play music is a challenge that lets students exercise their brain in new ways. While some may feel this would be another burden of material to learn on top of an already hectic homework load, it can actually be a soothing relief for the brain to give the student a healthy break from schoolwork but still keep his or her mind working. Many people find learning, playing, and listening to music to be therapeutic, so being so engaged in it on a regular basis could give a student great emotional stability as well. You may also want to check out these tips on how to make the most of college extracurriculars. One major element of these music-related activities that gets overlooked is the team aspect of them. An important thing to remember is that sports are not the only endeavor available for students looking to be part of a team effort. Being a part of a musical ensemble creates an incredibly special sense of belonging that all students are comfortably welcomed into. It takes every singer and every instrumentalist to produce the big sound that ultimately emerges from the group. No one is ever on the bench, so to speak. Additionally, music is never a one-size-fits-all opportunity. There are several different parts of the ensemble that you can fit into. For instance, the choir needs a plethora of different voices for different ranges and keys, rather than a hundred people singing the same part. Discovering if you are a soprano, a tenor, or something else can be an interesting new fact about yourself that you never knew before. You may surprise yourself as to what you can do with that voice of yours! When it comes to band and orchestra, of course, you have the many various instruments to choose from. No one will force you to play anything you dont want to, so the infinite possibilities of what instrument you might take on can be quite exciting. If you are absolutely clueless as to what these instruments are all about, ask the respective music teacher they should be happy to guide you through the selection process. Make sure you really take some time to investigate and make your final decision about what instrument you will play, because you will hopefully be investing some serious time in it. If youre lucky, it could end up being your new passion. The strong possibility of that new passion is another reason to consider music as an extracurricular. In addition to taking on the activity as a whole, you will find a new individual responsibility that could significantly increase your involvement and give you a personal hobby to enjoy. Students who invest in such an idea will typically be more encouraged to bring that creative and critical thinking to school every day and hopefully apply it more often to their classes. Never underestimate the power of having something to be excited about and how it can positively affect your daily experiences in this case, the educational experience. Joining a musical ensemble creates a comfort zone for students to express their creativity and let it blossom in a place where their peers are having the exact same goals. Plus, events like extra practices, concerts, and competitions provide that exciting incentive to keep going. With this at the end of a school day, a student has many reasons to stay bright and interested in their academic world. If anything, the activity allows for an intriguing new area of learning, which is always a good thing. You may want to check out these tips on how to choose your extracurricular activitiesif you aren't sure if music is the best extracurricular for you.

How to Study for the GED Test and Be Successful! - Private Tutoring

How to Study for the GED Test and Be Successful! BobbiM Jan 9, 2016 What is the GED Test? Knowledge and an education has always been the key to unlocking many opportunities that may lay ahead of us. In recent years, many young people and adults have chosen to get their GED in order to complete their high school education and graduate. The GED test is primarily for adults and young people who left high school without attaining a diploma and is recognized in both the United States and Canada. Why the GED Test is Important: There are several benefits for completing your high school education and getting that degree.   And by completing the GED tests using several GED practice strategies, you’ll be able to have those benefits for yourself. To start with, you get a high school equivalency certificate which sets the stage for potential employment, promotions at work, and the ability to have access to further educational opportunities or apply for an apprenticeship program. Preparation for Taking the GED Test: Just like any other test, candidates who enroll for this test have a good opportunity to improve their future and career opportunities but being prepared is mandatory. Passing the GED test requires a thorough GED prep test so that you know, are comfortable with and can easily pass the test. Preparation is a critical part of the process as it substantially increases the odds of passing the test on the first attempt. Fortunately, there are several preparation techniques that candidates can make use of to sharpen their skills and get ready for the GED Test. Image courtesy of Pixabay.com GED Test Preparation Options: Preparing for the GED test requires good utilization of strategies in order to ensure that the results are achieved when the test scores are finally out. -Attend GED Prep Classes Enrolling in a GED prep test class is one of the best decisions you can ever make. Classes are advantageous because candidates benefit from hands-on learning from seasoned experts which offers them the best opportunity to grasp concepts better and pay more focus to improving in weak areas. The good news is you can easily find an adult education classroom near you either by searching on the internet or contacting the nearest Office of Adult Education or your State Director. Hire a Private Tutor Choosing private tutoring services from someone that is an expert in what you want to know is beneficial if you feel you need personalized attention. This method offers a good foundation for preparing for the GED Test including numerous GED practice sessions to make sure your skills are where they need to be. In a private tutoring session, direct interaction enables your tutor to focus on your personal needs and address the specific areas where you need help. Since a private tutor is aware of your abilities, speed of learning and personality, they will be able to adopt a customized all-inclusive preparation strategy that will address each area of concern.   In addition, if time is an issue or you arent able to attend a class regularly, private tutors at home will work with your schedule and time constraints. -Purchase GED Prep Books You can opt to buy GED Prep books and study on your own. Whether you’re preparing for the GED math test or language test, there are several information sources you can use study from. Books let you study at home and cover the material in your own time.   But it does require that you have the initiative to allocate the time and use the time for doing the studying that you need in order to succeed. Some people can work well on their own and others are best with some tutoring or assistance. Fortunately, the internet has revolutionized how you can quickly and easily access GED study materials. You can choose from comprehensive study guides and books on GED prep test strategies. You can also study at your own pace, polish your strong areas and concentrate on the weak points. Before picking a GED study guide, be sure to check for past customer reviews to gauge the effectiveness of the study materials you intend to use. It is best to use top GED prep platforms since you’re guaranteed you’ll be using high quality books authored by experts. -GED Practice Test Whether you are studying on your own, opting to join a class or using a private tutor, GED practice tests are very helpful. These tests give you an opportunity to have a feel of how the actual exam will look like and the type of questions you’re likely to encounter in a GED Test. GED Practice Tests are supposed to boost your confidence by exposing you to as many questions as possible and ensure you remain calm and relaxed when the time comes to sit the actual GED Test. Candidates who take several GED practice test sessions increase their chances of passing the GED Test. -Take an Online Study Course With the introduction of the internet, online studying has reached new levels. Preparing for the GED test is now simple and convenient thanks to numerous established platforms that offer online GED courses. Fortunately, there are states which have come up with their own state sponsored GED courses. You can also make use of your state website to identify credible online study platforms.   In addition, many private tutors will do a Skype session or online tutoring and frequently their rates are even lower since they dont have travel time or expense. -Use Multiple Study Methods You can also choose multiple study methods if you feel that it will be beneficial for you. There are some people who combine study books with an online course, hire GED tutoring and at the same time, attend GED preparation classes. It is up to you so long as you don’t select an arrangement that will overwhelm you. Key GED Prep Study Tips: GED (General Education Development) tests skills in different subject areas. In order to prepare effectively for the GED Test, you need to fully understand the scope of your study and which subject areas you’ll be tested in. Doing this ensures you come up with a comprehensive GED preparation plan that will ensure every subject tested in the exam is allocated adequate revision time. Knowing the tools you’ll need for the test and beginning to familiarize yourself with them early enough is the best idea. Some of the items needed include calculators. You should also know how to use the GED Math Formulas and Symbols Reference Sheet when preparing for the GED math test. With the above tips and suggestions as well as putting in the time required, you can get on track to pass your exam with flying colors and open the doors to the next exciting phase of your life. Remember, you can choose a single GED prep test technique or combine two or more methods of study. Whichever GED Test preparation method you choose, make sure it works for you. Let us know in the comments below which are your favorite GED study tips that worked? Find the Best Private Tutors At Reasonable Rates - Get Real Results Fast! Choose Your Subject - Add Your Zip Code - Find Top Rated Tutors Today InPerson or Online Online InPerson

What to Do With Your Undergraduate Research

What to Do With Your Undergraduate Research pexels.com Whether its individually directed or under a professor, beginning undergraduate research is daunting. After all, you dont have any letters after your name you might not even have a full year of college under your belt! Is there really anything you can do? Yes! There are entire conferences dedicated showcasing undergraduate research. Besides that, a foundation in research is great way to grow in your area of study, serve the community, and bulk up your resume. Heres how to get started: Find A Research Project Maybe you already have something in mind, something you wrote a paper on way back when that youd like to explore. Fantastic! If not, thats okay, too. There are several different ways to get involved in undergraduate research. You can work on your own project if you or a group of your friends have an idea. Or, if you have no idea where to begin, you can get involved in faculty research projects. Most big universities have faculty performing research in a variety of disciplines, from chemistry to psychology to English literature. Most of the time, these professors use graduate and undergraduate students to help them with the nitty-gritty research categorizing articles, writing case briefs, sorting and clean vials, etc. If you really have no idea where to begin, pick your favorite professor and ask if theyre working on research and, if so, could you possibly be involved. They might say no and thats okay they may be able to direct you to a project you can work on or advise you as you c reate your own. Get Cracking! Once you find or create your research project, get moving on logistics. Can you get funding for  undergraduate research or a scholarship for participating in a faculty project? What about community service hours? You might even be able to get school credit for it. Talk to your academic adviser, supervising faculty, or research department if your school has one about the tangible benefits of undergraduate research. They may surprise you! Find an Audience Youve made leaps and bounds in your project, come up with startling conclusions, and you want to tell the world. But how? You can try for publication at your school if they have an academic journal. You can also talk to your academic adviser or supervising faculty member about publication opportunities. You can also apply to present at conferences such as the Florida Undergraduate Research Conference (FURC) and ACC Meeting of the Minds. These two conferences are devoting to showcasing undergraduate research and are held yearly. Not only are they great opportunities to publicize your work, but theyre great networking opportunities. Undergraduate research really bulks up a resume, particularly if youve been published and/or participated in a conference. pexels.com So what are you waiting for? Get out and get researching!

Sports-Related Head Injuries Linked to Serious Brain Condition Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

Sports-Related Head Injuries Linked to Serious Brain Condition Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of fiber tracts in the brain (image courtesy of Wikipedia) In 2009, Ann C. McKee, MD et al. published a scientific paper in the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology entitled Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Athletes: Progressive Tauopathy following Repetitive Head Injury.  Dr. McKee and her research team at The Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy had done (and still do) some of the world’s leading work in brain trauma research in athletes. The paper was a review of 47 verified cases of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). There are a great many neurological and behavioral symptoms listed by the paper that define CTE, making the claim that the condition is its own form of tauopathy. (Tauopathy is a form of brain degeneration caused by the build-up of tau proteins. We’ll talk a little bit more about tau proteins later.) Isolating CTE as a unique brain condition is perhaps the paper’s achievement: We demonstrate that although CTE shares many features of other neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, post-encephalitic Parkinsonism, and the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/Parkinson’s-dementia complex of Guam (ALS/PDC), CTE is a neuropathologically distinct, progressive tauopathy with a clear environmental etiology. CTE is not unique to athletes, but it is certainly prevalent in contact sports. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) suffered on the field can eventually lead to CTE. In the 2006 scientific paper entitled The Epidemiology and Impact of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Brief Overview published in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, Jean A. Langlois, Sc.D., M.P.H., Wesley Rutland-Brown, M.P.H. and Marlena M. Wald, MLS, M.P.H. reported that current data on TBIs around the country are probably underestimating the actual number of cases: Sports and recreation activities are also a major cause of TBI, including concussions, and are severely underestimated using existing national data sets. Although a previous Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study estimated that approximately 300,000 such injuries occur each year, it included only TBIs for which the person reported a loss of consciousness. Other studies suggest that injuries involving loss of consciousness may account only for between 8% and 19.2% of sports-related TBIs. Taking this into account, a more accurate approximation may be that 1.6 million to 3.8 million sports-related TBIs occur each year. CT scan of brain with cerebral contusions, hemorrhage within hemispheres, subdural hematoma and skull fractures (image courtesy of Wikipedia) The article also made it clear that people who suffer these TBIs are at a much higher risk of developing other health conditions including epilepsy and Alzheimers disease. There are, however, non-physical cognitive ailments that pose a unique problem for recognition. CTE and depression, for example, may not reveal obvious physical problems and can thus go undetected until it is too late. Such was the case for Dave Duerson, Junior Seau and Derek Boogaard, just three of the many athletes who suffered from the condition. Duerson, a former Chicago Bear and New York Giant, killed himself in 2011. He shot himself in the heart. Before doing so, he requested through multiple avenues to have his brain preserved for research. He left it in his suicide note and in a text to his ex-wife. This reinforces what writer Ed Pilkington noted in an article for The Guardianthat Duerson knew he had a problem. In the article, Pilkington interviewed Dr. McKee (the same Dr. McKee from the 2009 paper cited earlier) at the NFLs brain bank (The Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy) in the Bedford VA medical center in Massachusetts as she was examining a brain that used to belong to a very skilled NFL player, but whose identity would remain anonymous. Her evaluation of said brain was that repeated blows to the head had reduced its size and removed key filaments. Later, she pulled up slides of Duersons brain on her laptop. They showed the buildup of tau, that abnormal protein that is formed in the brain after repeated trauma. Tau proteins essentially block the function of neurons and can spread to surrounding areas, eventually destroying functionality. Although tau is a damaging characteristic of brain trauma and can be detected in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid, it does not necessarily correlate with CTE and cannot, therefore, serve as a dependable diagnostic. In an NBC News article centered on former NFL linebacker Junior Seau, more of the same was found. Seau committed suicide in 2012 just like Duerson: a gunshot to the chest, preserving his brain for research. As the article by Maggie Fox stated, an autopsy showed he had CTE. Seau, like others before and after him, died young. One can’t help but wonder what would happen to these former-athletes if they went on living with CTE into later ages. And, if they did, what sort of psychological and behavioral challenges they would face on day-to-day basis. Would the tauopathy completely destroy their cognitive capacity? Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett underwent brain scans last year that showed he had signs of CTE. Dorsett, now 59, had recalled bouts of memory loss and admitted that his “quality of living has changed drastically and it deteriorates every day.” Derek Boogaard (image courtesy of Wikipedia) In a 2011 article for Time, Jeffrey Kluger reviewed yet another victim of sports-related brain damage: hockey player Derek Boogaard. His death was not directly caused by CTE as Duerson’s and Seau’s were, but Boogaard was diagnosed postmortem. He died from an overdose of alcohol and oxycodone, taken, perhaps, in an effort to alleviate some of his suffering. Kluger defines CTE in his own words: a brain condition similar to Alzheimers disease but caused by nothing more mysterious than getting hit too much. Kluger later reiterated the hardest part about brain disorders such as CTEnamely that the condition cannot be properly diagnosed until the patients brain can be sliced open after their death. Those afflicted may experience any number of symptoms including memory loss, intense depression and general cognitive distress. The University of Rochester Medical Center is working on multiple projects on traumatic brain injury, but interestingly, one project is looking at non-concussion-causing head blows. It is well-known at this point that repeated concussions cause serious cognitive issues, yet with this other project, Jeffrey J. Bazarian, M.D., M.P.H. wants to look at the everyday, seemingly harmless hits that football players experience. Using special sensors inside the helmets of University of Rochester football players, Dr. Bazarian could compare readings before and after the players season. This study is vastly important because, as the lab says on their site, while the neurologic risks of concussion are just beginning to be appreciated, the risks posed by cumulative sub-concussive head blows are potentially much larger, as they affect virtually every athlete involved in contact sports on an almost daily basis. The findings could call for more preventative actions in contact sports and likely freak out parents of young athletes everywhere. Practically, you may not be able to take the hits out of the games, but there may be ways to manage potential trauma. After all, as we’ve just learned from Dr. Bazarian, multiple seemingly minor head blows can add up to irreversible, life-changing damage. Even a concussion, something that used to be treated as a laughable incident (how many fingers am I holding up?), is now seen as a serious injury. Even the world of medicine is seeing them in a whole new light. “Scientifically, what were seeing is there is actually a change in the electrical activity of the brain that can last weeks or months,” says Dr. Neil Martin, chairman of neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. It seems, then, sitting out for the rest of the game is not treatment enough for even the simplest of concussions. Risking another hit, in the long run, may prove fatal. UFC logo (image courtesy of Wikipedia) The danger is real, especially since many head injuries in contact sports go undiagnosed and untreated, as current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones reflected on in a Fox Sports article from last week. “I saw those lights,” Jones said. “Now that I’m older I realize that those lights were probably some type of concussion.” This is the threat Dr. McKee and other brain trauma experts are talking about. Concussions are dangerous on their own, but if gone unnoticed or are not treated properly they can develop into CTE and other serious brain conditions. In an interview with Jeffrey Brown of PBS, Dr. McKee admitted there are still a lot of questions out there regarding CTE. And when working in a field (science) that demands overwhelming evidence to accept alternative hypotheses, questions leave room for doubt and further studies: A key question remains, what’s the incidence and prevalence? How common is this disorder? And that, we will never establish from an autopsy study. For that, we really need to be able to identify this disease in living individuals. And that’s a huge focus of our more recent research. How can we identify this in people that are living? And that might be through MRI scans or PET scans and especially the ones that might peg the [tau] protein that develops. But we are really going to need those tests to be able to determine if a living person has this disease and then be able to measure that person’s exposure to head trauma. And that will be the defining moment. And that will probably take a longitudinal prospective study involving probably thousands of subjects. These are the questions that Dr. McKee and her peers in brain trauma research are faced with. The next logical step, it seems, would be working towards preventative measures. After all, we cant very well cancel sports Well, Reebok might have made a step in the right direction with a new product called the Checklight. It is a skullcap worn under the helmet but has force detectors attached and will light yellow for a moderate hit and red for a severe hit. Although they make it clear that the product is not a concussion diagnostic, the light indicators can give players, parents and coaches more information about the severity of hits and allow them to make the best decisions with that new information. Today, over 400 living athletes have promised to give their brain up for trauma research.