Do I Have CTE Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. A former athlete develops memory and mood changes years after leaving sport. Why should a clinician consider multiple possible explanations?
CTE always produces one unique symptom that distinguishes it immediately
Such changes can overlap with sleep problems, depression, medication effects, other neurological conditions, and many additional causes
Any past participation in contact sport makes other explanations irrelevant
Mood changes exclude neurological causes, while memory changes exclude psychological causes
2. Which description best matches chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)?
An infection of the brain that spreads through contact sports
A temporary headache that occurs after every minor bump to the head
A form of stroke caused by a single blocked blood vessel
A progressive brain disease associated with a history of repeated head impacts
3. Which statement best reflects how CTE is confirmed today?
A symptom checklist can confirm it when enough common symptoms are present
Symptoms cannot confirm it in life; definitive confirmation currently relies on examining brain tissue after death
A standard MRI confirms it by displaying a unique pattern in every case
A routine blood test confirms it after repeated concussions
4. A cyclist believes a high-quality helmet makes concussion and CTE impossible. Which correction is most accurate?
Helmets can reduce certain head injuries, but no helmet eliminates all concussion or repeated-impact risk
Helmets are useful only in professional competition
Helmets eliminate concussion but not neck strain
Helmets prevent every injury except cuts to the scalp
5. After a recent blow to the head, which development most clearly calls for urgent medical help?
A worsening headache with repeated vomiting or increasing confusion
Mild scalp tenderness that steadily improves
Concern about whether a helmet needs replacement
Brief disappointment about having to leave the game
6. Sam reports concentration problems after years in a collision sport. What would a responsible clinical evaluation most likely involve?
Counting sports seasons and diagnosing CTE from that number alone
Using an online quiz as the definitive medical test
Ordering one standard scan that automatically distinguishes every cause
Reviewing symptoms and history, performing an appropriate examination, and considering other treatable explanations or referrals
7. Two people have similar histories of repeated head impacts. One develops persistent problems and the other does not. What does this illustrate?
The person without symptoms must never have sustained a concussion
Only the number of diagnosed concussions determines the outcome
Not everyone with repeated exposure develops CTE, and individual risk cannot be predicted from exposure history alone
Persistent symptoms prove CTE without considering other conditions
8. What does the term “traumatic encephalopathy syndrome” (TES) mean in current research contexts?
It is the laboratory name for a confirmed concussion
It describes research-based clinical criteria and is not the same as confirmed CTE brain pathology
It is a distinctive imaging sign that proves CTE in life
It is a genetic category showing that CTE will inevitably develop
9. Jordan had one diagnosed concussion years ago and now wonders whether that fact alone means CTE is present. What is the most accurate conclusion?
One concussion does not by itself establish CTE, and symptoms or exposure concerns require individualized medical evaluation
CTE is certain if the concussion caused brief memory loss
CTE can be ruled out solely because the concussion occurred years ago
Any diagnosed concussion eventually becomes CTE
10. How does a concussion differ from CTE?
A concussion occurs only once, whereas CTE begins after exactly two impacts
A concussion affects memory, whereas CTE affects only muscles
A concussion is always visible on routine imaging, whereas CTE is always visible on a blood test
A concussion is an acute traumatic brain injury, whereas CTE is a progressive disease associated with repeated head-impact exposure
11. A teenager has possible concussion symptoms after a collision and says they feel better 15 minutes later. What is the safest next step?
Return immediately because quick improvement rules out concussion
Stay out of play and receive appropriate evaluation before following a supervised return-to-activity process
Resume play with a different helmet and check symptoms afterward
Return after passing a brief memory question from a teammate
12. What can a routine brain scan currently establish about CTE in a living person?
No routine scan can by itself definitively confirm CTE in a living person
A normal scan proves that no effects of head injury exist
A CT scan confirms CTE whenever it shows a skull fracture
An MRI confirms CTE whenever a person reports memory problems
13. A person with a history of repeated head impacts develops worsening depression and thoughts of self-harm. What is the most appropriate understanding?
Those experiences prove CTE and make other assessment unnecessary
They should wait for memory problems before seeking support
The cause cannot be determined from those symptoms alone, but prompt professional assessment and immediate crisis help for self-harm thoughts are important
Mood symptoms are unrelated to health and do not warrant medical attention
14. What is accurate about the timing of difficulties associated with CTE?
A symptom-free week after an impact permanently rules out later concerns
CTE symptoms always begin during the final head impact
Reported problems may emerge years after exposure, but timing and symptoms alone cannot establish CTE
Every exposed person develops the same symptoms on the same schedule
15. A player feels dizzy and mentally foggy after a collision but wants to finish the match. What is the soundest response?
Continue playing unless loss of consciousness occurs
Rest for a few minutes, then return if teammates agree
Switch to a less demanding position for the remainder of the match
Stop participating, report the symptoms, and follow appropriate medical and return-to-play guidance
16. Which exposure is most closely associated with CTE research findings?
Ordinary mental stress without blows or jolts to the head
One mild headache with no history of head impact
Long-term exposure to repeated head impacts, including impacts that may not cause obvious concussion symptoms
A single episode of motion sickness during travel