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Wallingford A, Junn C. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am 2024; 35:607-618. [PMID: 38945654 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmr.2024.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
This article focuses on neuropathologic diagnostic criteria for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and consensus research diagnostic criteria for traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES). CTE as a tauopathy has a unique pattern for diagnosis and differs from other neurodegenerative diseases. We discuss the history, neuropathology, and mechanism of CTE as well as the preliminary reasearch diagnostic criteria for TES, which is the proposed clinical presentation of suspected CTE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Wallingford
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Cherry Junn
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, 325 Ninth Avenue Box 359740, Seattle, WA 98104, USA.
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Ipekten E, Belviranli M, Okudan N. The relationship of cognitive functions with brain damage markers, myokines and neurotrophic factors in amateur soccer players. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2024; 96:e20231132. [PMID: 39046022 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202420231132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Concussive and subconcussive head impatcs in sports have drawn more attention in recent years. Thus, the cognitive ability of soccer players and its relationship with circulating levels of irisin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were studied in this study. Fifteen amateur soccer players and 15 sedentary men volunteered to participate in this study. After evaluating the aerobic and anaerobic capacities of the participants, their cognitive performances were measured. Blood samples were obtained at rest, and the ELISA method was used to measure the concentrations of serum NSE, plasma BDNF, and irisin. There were no differences between groups in terms of cognitive abilities or serum NSE levels (P > 0.05). Plasma irisin (P = 0.019) and BDNF (P < 0.001) levels were higher in the soccer players than the sedentary subjects. There was a positive correlation between irisin and NSE (r = 0.461, P = 0.010) and BDNF (r = 0.405, P = 0.007) concentrations. General cognitive performance is maintained in amateur soccer players. This is accompanied by the unchanged NSE. However, elevated irisin and BDNF levels appear to be independent of cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erkam Ipekten
- Selçuk University, School of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Konya, 42131, Turkey
| | - Muaz Belviranli
- Selçuk University, School of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Konya, 42131, Turkey
| | - Nilsel Okudan
- Selçuk University, School of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Konya, 42131, Turkey
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Kim DD, Sharma AK, Anazodo U, Kertesz A, Borrie M, Lawrence KS, Singhsnaeh A, Ang LC, Finger E. Longitudinal clinicoradiological findings in pathologically confirmed chronic traumatic encephalopathy. J Neurol 2024; 271:3660-3671. [PMID: 38514471 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12275-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- David Dongkyung Kim
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Amit Kumar Sharma
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Udunna Anazodo
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Andrew Kertesz
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | | | - Keith St Lawrence
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Arunee Singhsnaeh
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, London Health Sciences Centre, London, Canada
| | - Lee Cyn Ang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, London Health Sciences Centre, London, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Finger
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada.
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Pensato U, Cortelli P. Soccer (football) and brain health. J Neurol 2024; 271:3019-3029. [PMID: 38558150 PMCID: PMC11136867 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12320-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Soccer is one of the most popular sports worldwide, played by over 270 million people and followed by many more. Several brain health benefits are promoted by practising soccer and physical exercise at large, which helps contrast the cognitive decline associated with ageing by enhancing neurogenesis processes. However, sport-related concussions have been increasingly recognised as a pressing public health concern, not only due to their acute impact but also, more importantly, due to mounting evidence indicating an elevated risk for the development of neurological sequelae following recurrent head traumas, especially chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). While soccer players experience less frequent concussions compared with other contact or combat sports, such as American football or boxing, it stands alone in its purposeful use of the head to hit the ball (headings), setting its players apart as the only athletes exposed to intentional, sub-concussive head impacts. Additionally, an association between soccer and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has been consistently observed, suggesting a potential "soccer-specific" risk factor. In this review, we discuss the neurological sequelae related to soccer playing, the emerging evidence of a detrimental effect related to recurrent headings, and the need for implementation of comprehensive strategies aimed at preventing and managing the burden of head impact in soccer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umberto Pensato
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy.
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56 Rozzano, 20089, Milan, Italy.
| | - Pietro Cortelli
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Taghdiri F, Khodadadi M, Sadia N, Mushtaque A, Scott OFT, Hirsch‐Reinhagen V, Tator C, Wennberg R, Kovacs GG, Tartaglia MC. Unusual combinations of neurodegenerative pathologies with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) complicates clinical prediction of CTE. Eur J Neurol 2024; 31:e16259. [PMID: 38404144 PMCID: PMC11235773 DOI: 10.1111/ene.16259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) has gained widespread attention due to its association with multiple concussions and contact sports. However, CTE remains a postmortem diagnosis, and the link between clinical symptoms and CTE pathology is poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the presence of copathologies and their impact on symptoms in former contact sports athletes. METHODS This was a retrospective case series design of 12 consecutive cases of former contact sports athletes referred for autopsy. Analyses are descriptive and include clinical history as well as the pathological findings of the autopsied brains. RESULTS All participants had a history of multiple concussions, and all but one had documented progressive cognitive, psychiatric, and/or motor symptoms. The results showed that 11 of the 12 participants had evidence of CTE in the brain, but also other copathologies, including different combinations of tauopathies, and other rare entities. CONCLUSIONS The heterogeneity of symptoms after repetitive head injuries and the diverse pathological combinations accompanying CTE complicate the prediction of CTE in clinical practice. It is prudent to consider the possibility of multiple copathologies when clinically assessing patients with repetitive head injuries, especially as they age, and attributing neurological or cognitive symptoms solely to presumptive CTE in elderly patients should be discouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Foad Taghdiri
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative DiseaseUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Mozhgan Khodadadi
- Canadian Concussion CentreKrembil Brain Institute, University Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Nusrat Sadia
- Canadian Concussion CentreKrembil Brain Institute, University Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Asma Mushtaque
- Canadian Concussion CentreKrembil Brain Institute, University Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Olivia F. T. Scott
- Canadian Concussion CentreKrembil Brain Institute, University Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Veronica Hirsch‐Reinhagen
- Division of NeuropathologyVancouver General HospitalVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Charles Tator
- Canadian Concussion CentreKrembil Brain Institute, University Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
- Krembil Brain InstituteUniversity Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Richard Wennberg
- Canadian Concussion CentreKrembil Brain Institute, University Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
- Krembil Brain InstituteUniversity Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Gabor G. Kovacs
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative DiseaseUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Canadian Concussion CentreKrembil Brain Institute, University Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
- Krembil Brain InstituteUniversity Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
- Laboratory Medicine ProgramUniversity Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders ClinicToronto Western HospitalTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - M. Carmela Tartaglia
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative DiseaseUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Canadian Concussion CentreKrembil Brain Institute, University Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
- Krembil Brain InstituteUniversity Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
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Johansson E, Alfredsson L, Strid P, Kockum I, Olsson T, Hedström AK. Head trauma results in manyfold increased risk of multiple sclerosis in genetically susceptible individuals. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2024; 95:554-560. [PMID: 38212058 PMCID: PMC11103305 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2023-332643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Large register-based studies have reported an association between head trauma and increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). We aimed to investigate possible interactions between head trauma and MS-associated HLA genes in relation to MS risk. METHODS We used a Swedish population-based case-control study (2807 incident cases, 5950 matched controls with HLA genotypes available for 2057 cases, 2887 controls). Subjects with and without a history of self-reported head trauma were compared regarding MS risk, by calculating ORs with 95% CIs using logistic regression models. Additive interaction between head trauma, HLA-DRB1*1501 and absence of HLA-A*0201, was assessed by calculating the attributable proportion (AP) due to interaction. RESULTS A history of head trauma was associated with a 30% increased risk of subsequently developing MS (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.53), with a trend showing increased risk of MS with increasing number of head impacts (p=0.03). We observed synergistic effects between recent head trauma and HLA-DRB1*15:01 as well as absence of HLA*02:01 in relation to MS risk (each AP 0.40, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.7). Recent head trauma in individuals with both genetic risk factors rendered an 18-fold increased risk of MS, compared with those with neither the genetic risk factors nor a history of head trauma (OR 17.7, 95% CI 7.13 to 44.1). CONCLUSIONS Our findings align with previous observations of a dose-dependent association between head trauma and increased risk of MS and add a novel aspect of this association by revealing synergistic effects between recent head trauma and MS-associated HLA genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Johansson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Alfredsson
- Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pernilla Strid
- Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ingrid Kockum
- Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tomas Olsson
- Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Karin Hedström
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Zimmerman KA, Hain JA, Graham NSN, Rooney EJ, Lee Y, Del-Giovane M, Parker TD, Friedland D, Cross MJ, Kemp S, Wilson MG, Sylvester RJ, Sharp DJ. Prospective cohort study of long-term neurological outcomes in retired elite athletes: the Advanced BiomaRker, Advanced Imaging and Neurocognitive (BRAIN) Health Study protocol. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e082902. [PMID: 38663922 PMCID: PMC11043776 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-082902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although limited, recent research suggests that contact sport participation might have an adverse long-term effect on brain health. Further work is required to determine whether this includes an increased risk of neurodegenerative disease and/or subsequent changes in cognition and behaviour. The Advanced BiomaRker, Advanced Imaging and Neurocognitive Health Study will prospectively examine the neurological, psychiatric, psychological and general health of retired elite-level rugby union and association football/soccer players. METHODS AND ANALYSIS 400 retired athletes will be recruited (200 rugby union and 200 association football players, male and female). Athletes will undergo a detailed clinical assessment, advanced neuroimaging, blood testing for a range of brain health outcomes and neuropsychological assessment longitudinally. Follow-up assessments will be completed at 2 and 4 years after baseline visit. 60 healthy volunteers will be recruited and undergo an aligned assessment protocol including advanced neuroimaging, blood testing and neuropsychological assessment. We will describe the previous exposure to head injuries across the cohort and investigate relationships between biomarkers of brain injury and clinical outcomes including cognitive performance, clinical diagnoses and psychiatric symptom burden. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Relevant ethical approvals have been granted by the Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee (Ref: 17/LO/2066). The study findings will be disseminated through manuscripts in clinical/academic journals, presentations at professional conferences and through participant and stakeholder communications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl A Zimmerman
- Centre for Care, Research and Technology, UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Centre for Injury Studies, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jessica A Hain
- Centre for Care, Research and Technology, UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Neil S N Graham
- Centre for Care, Research and Technology, UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Centre for Injury Studies, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Erin Jane Rooney
- Centre for Care, Research and Technology, UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health (ISEH), University College London, London, UK
| | - Ying Lee
- Centre for Care, Research and Technology, UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health (ISEH), University College London, London, UK
| | - Martina Del-Giovane
- Centre for Care, Research and Technology, UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Thomas D Parker
- Centre for Care, Research and Technology, UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, The Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Daniel Friedland
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health (ISEH), University College London, London, UK
| | - Matthew J Cross
- Carnegie Applied Rugby Research Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK
- Premiership Rugby, London, UK
| | - Simon Kemp
- Rugby Football Union, Twickenham, UK
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Mathew G Wilson
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health (ISEH), University College London, London, UK
- HCA Healthcare Research Institute, London, UK
| | - Richard J Sylvester
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health (ISEH), University College London, London, UK
- Acute Stroke and Brain Injury Unit, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - David J Sharp
- Centre for Care, Research and Technology, UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Centre for Injury Studies, Imperial College London, London, UK
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8
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Alosco ML, Adler CH, Dodick DW, Tripodis Y, Balcer LJ, Bernick C, Banks SJ, Barr WB, Wethe JV, Palmisano JN, Martin B, Hartlage K, Cantu RC, Geda YE, Katz DI, Mez J, Cummings JL, Shenton ME, Reiman EM, Stern RA. Examination of parkinsonism in former elite American football players. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2024; 120:105903. [PMID: 37981539 PMCID: PMC10922636 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2023.105903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Former American football players are at risk for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) which may have parkinsonism as a clinical feature. OBJECTIVE Former football players were prospectively assessed for parkinsonism. METHODS 120 former professional football players, 58 former college football players, and 60 same-age asymptomatic men without repetitive head impacts, 45-74 years, were studied using the MDS-UPDRS to assess for parkinsonism, and the Timed Up and Go (TUG). Traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES), the clinical syndrome of CTE, was adjudicated and includes parkinsonism diagnosis. Fisher's Exact Test compared groups on parkinsonism due to small cell sizes; analysis of covariance or linear regressions controlling for age and body mass index were used otherwise. RESULTS Twenty-two (12.4%) football players (13.3% professional, 10.3% college) met parkinsonism criteria compared with two (3.3%) in the unexposed group. Parkinsonism was higher in professional (p = 0.037) but not college players (p = 0.16). There were no differences on the MDS-UPDRS Part III total scores. Scores on the individual MDS-UPDRS items were low. TUG times were longer in former professional but not college players compared with unexposed men (13.09 versus 11.35 s, p < 0.01). There were no associations between years of football, age of first exposure, position or level of play on motor outcomes. TES status was not associated with motor outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Parkinsonism rates in this sample of football players was low and highest in the professional football players. The association between football and parkinsonism is inconclusive and depends on factors related to sample selection, comparison groups, and exposure characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Alosco
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charles H Adler
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
| | - David W Dodick
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Yorghos Tripodis
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laura J Balcer
- Departments of Neurology, Population Health and Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Charles Bernick
- Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Sarah J Banks
- Departments of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - William B Barr
- Department of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jennifer V Wethe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Joseph N Palmisano
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC), Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brett Martin
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC), Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kaitlin Hartlage
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC), Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Robert C Cantu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Douglas I Katz
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jesse Mez
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA, USA
| | - Jeffery L Cummings
- Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience, Department of Brain Health, School of Integrated Health Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Martha E Shenton
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, And Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eric M Reiman
- Banner Alzheimer's Institute, University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Translational Genomics Research Institute, and Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Robert A Stern
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian, Boston, MA, USA
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Taskina D, Zhu C, Schwab N, Hazrati LN. Brain pathology and symptoms linked to concussion history: beyond chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcad314. [PMID: 38560515 PMCID: PMC10977958 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Repeated head trauma acquired through sports injuries has been associated with the development of long-term disabling symptoms that negatively impact the quality of life. In this retrospective case series, 52 male former professional athletes involved in contact sports and with a history of multiple concussions were evaluated for chronic clinical symptoms and post-mortem neuropathological diagnoses. The clinical symptoms of 19 cases were examined in greater detail for symptom type, severity and duration. Information on neurological, psychiatric and physical symptoms, substance use profiles and concussion histories was obtained from the athletes' next of kin and assessed in relation to post-mortem neuropathological diagnoses. Cases were categorized into three different neuropathological groups: no major neuropathological findings, the presence of only chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and the diagnosis(es) of other neurodegenerative diseases. Age at death and the presence of DNA damage in the post-mortem brains were analysed for correlation with the clinical symptoms. In this case series, 14/52 (26.9%) cases (mean age 48.2 ± 11.4) had neuropathological evidence of low-stage/low-burden CTE. A total of 11/52 (21.2%) cases (mean age 38.7 ± 12.7) presented a similar profile and severity of behavioural symptoms to those with CTE, despite the lack of significant post-mortem neuropathological findings. A total of 27/52 (51.9%) cases (mean age 75.5 ± 8.7) presented with complex post-mortem neurodegenerative diagnoses, including Alzheimer's disease and other mixed pathologies, and clinical symptoms associated with language, memory and sensory dysfunction. The presence of DNA damage in the brain was found in all neuropathological groups, predominantly in the ependymal lining of ventricles, and phosphorylated histone H2AX staining was correlated with higher age at death (r = 0.59) and symptoms of language dysfunction (r = 0.56). Findings from our case series suggest that post-concussive symptoms are not driven by CTE. Our findings show that proteinopathies alone may not account for the complexity of the clinical manifestations and suggest the possibility of other drivers, such as DNA damage, as potentially useful markers of brain trauma. Broadening the search for biological markers that reflect the effects of brain injury, even when proteinopathy is not observed, and taking a symptom-driven approach are therefore advised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Taskina
- Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Cherrie Zhu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Nicole Schwab
- Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Lili-Naz Hazrati
- Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
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10
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Kern J, Gulde P, Hermsdörfer J. A prospective investigation of the effects of soccer heading on cognitive and sensorimotor performances in semi-professional female players. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1345868. [PMID: 38404611 PMCID: PMC10884128 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1345868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Repetitive head impacts (RHI) from routine soccer (football) heading have been suggested to contribute to the long-term development of neurodegenerative disorders. However, scientific evidence concerning the actual risk of these RHI on brain health remains inconclusive. Moreover, female athletes-despite a presumably increased vulnerability toward the effects of RHI-are largely underrepresented in previous approaches. Therefore, our aim was to prospectively investigate the effects of heading on cognitive and sensorimotor performances, health perception, and concussion symptoms in semi-professional female soccer players. Methods An extensive test battery was used to assess cognitive and sensorimotor performances as well as health status (SF-36) and concussion symptoms (SCAT3) of a total of 27 female soccer players (22.2 ± 4.2 years) and 15 control subjects (23.2 ± 3.0 years) before and after one-and-a-half years. Throughout this period, soccer players' heading exposure was determined using video analysis. Results Subgroup comparisons (control [n = 12], low exposure [n = 7], high exposure [n = 8]) showed no time-dependent differences in SF-36 or SCAT3 scores. Similarly, across most behavioral tests, soccer players' performances evolved equally or more favorably as compared to the control subjects. However, there were significant effects pointing toward slightly negative consequences of heading on aspects of fine motor control (p = 0.001), which were confirmed by correlation and multiple regression analyses. The latter, further, yielded indications for a relationship between heading exposure and negative alterations in postural control (p = 0.002). Discussion Our findings do not provide evidence for negative effects of soccer heading on female players' health perception, concussion symptoms, and cognitive performances over the course of one-and-a-half years. However, we found subtle negative alterations in fine motor and postural control that could be attributed to heading exposure. Other factors, like the number of previous head injuries, were not linked to the observed changes. Given the reduction of our initial sample size due to player fluctuation, the results need to be interpreted with caution and validated in larger-scale studies. These should not only focus on cognitive outcomes but also consider sensorimotor changes as a result of RHI from soccer heading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Kern
- Chair of Human Movement Science, Department Health and Sport Sciences, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Lember LM, Ntikas M, Mondello S, Wilson L, Di Virgilio TG, Hunter AM, Kobeissy F, Mechref Y, Donaldson DI, Ietswaart M. The Use of Biofluid Markers to Evaluate the Consequences of Sport-Related Subconcussive Head Impact Exposure: A Scoping Review. SPORTS MEDICINE - OPEN 2024; 10:12. [PMID: 38270708 PMCID: PMC10811313 DOI: 10.1186/s40798-023-00665-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amidst growing concern about the safety of sport-related repetitive subconcussive head impacts (RSHI), biofluid markers may provide sensitive, informative, and practical assessment of the effects of RSHI exposure. OBJECTIVE This scoping review aimed to systematically examine the extent, nature, and quality of available evidence from studies investigating the effects of RSHI on biofluid markers, to identify gaps and to formulate guidelines to inform future research. METHODS PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines were adhered to. The protocol was pre-registered through publication. MEDLINE, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, OpenGrey, and two clinical trial registries were searched (until March 30, 2022) using descriptors for subconcussive head impacts, biomarkers, and contact sports. Included studies were assessed for risk of bias and quality. RESULTS Seventy-nine research publications were included in the review. Forty-nine studies assessed the acute effects, 23 semi-acute and 26 long-term effects of RSHI exposure. The most studied sports were American football, boxing, and soccer, and the most investigated markers were (in descending order): S100 calcium-binding protein beta (S100B), tau, neurofilament light (NfL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), phosphorylated tau (p-tau), ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1), and hormones. High or moderate bias was found in most studies, and marker-specific conclusions were subject to heterogeneous and limited evidence. Although the evidence is weak, some biofluid markers-such as NfL-appeared to show promise. More markedly, S100B was found to be problematic when evaluating the effects of RSHI in sport. CONCLUSION Considering the limitations of the evidence base revealed by this first review dedicated to systematically scoping the evidence of biofluid marker levels following RSHI exposure, the field is evidently still in its infancy. As a result, any recommendation and application is premature. Although some markers show promise for the assessment of brain health following RSHI exposure, future large standardized and better-controlled studies are needed to determine biofluid markers' utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liivia-Mari Lember
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Michail Ntikas
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
- The School of Psychology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Stefania Mondello
- Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Lindsay Wilson
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Thomas G Di Virgilio
- Physiology Exercise and Nutrition Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Angus M Hunter
- Physiology Exercise and Nutrition Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
- Department of Sports Science, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
| | - Firas Kobeissy
- Center for Neurotrauma, Department of Neurobiology and Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), Multiomics & Biomarkers, Atlanta, GA, 30310, USA
| | - Yehia Mechref
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - David I Donaldson
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
| | - Magdalena Ietswaart
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK.
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12
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Hageman G, Hageman I, Nihom J. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Soccer Players: Review of 14 Cases. Clin J Sport Med 2024; 34:69-80. [PMID: 37403989 DOI: 10.1097/jsm.0000000000001174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Exposure to repetitive sports-related concussions or (sub)concussive head trauma may lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Which impact (heading or concussion) poses the greatest risk of CTE development in soccer players? DESIGN Narrative review. SETTING Teaching hospital and University of Applied sciences. PATIENTS A literature search (PubMed) was conducted for neuropathologic studies in the period 2005-December 2022, investigating soccer players with dementia and a CTE diagnosis, limited to English language publications. 210 papers were selected for final inclusion, of which 7 papers described 14 soccer players. ASSESSMENT Magnetic resonance imaging studies in soccer players show that lifetime estimates of heading numbers are inversely correlated with cortical thickness, grey matter volume, and density of the anterior temporal cortex. Using diffusion tensor imaging-magnetic resonance imaging, higher frequency of headings-particularly with rotational accelerations-are associated with impaired white matter integrity. Serum neurofilament light protein is elevated after heading. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Chronic traumatic encephalopathy pathology, history of concussion, heading frequency. RESULTS In 10 of 14 soccer players, CTE was the primary diagnosis. In 4 cases, other dementia types formed the primary diagnosis and CTE pathology was a concomitant finding. Remarkably, 6 of the 14 cases had no history of concussion, suggesting that frequent heading may be a risk for CTE in patients without symptomatic concussion. Rule changes in heading duels, management of concussion during the game, and limiting the number of high force headers during training are discussed. CONCLUSIONS Data suggest that heading frequency and concussions are associated with higher risk of developing CTE in (retired) soccer players. However based on this review of only 14 players, questions persist as to whether or not heading is a risk factor for CTE or long-term cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Hageman
- Department of Neurology, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Hospital Enschede, Enschede, the Netherlands; and
| | - Ivar Hageman
- Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Jik Nihom
- Department of Neurology, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Hospital Enschede, Enschede, the Netherlands; and
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Rotundo MP, Sokol-Randell D, Bleakley C, Donnelly P, Tierney G. Characteristics of potential concussive events in elite hurling: a video-analysis study. Ir J Med Sci 2023; 192:3175-3185. [PMID: 36800054 PMCID: PMC10692028 DOI: 10.1007/s11845-023-03307-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High-impact sports such as hurling place participants at risk of sport-related concussion (SRC). AIMS This study will evaluate the characteristics of potential concussive events (PCEs) that occur in elite male hurling to acquire an understanding of how they occur. METHODS The authors recorded PCEs and their characteristics throughout two seasons of inter-county GAA competition using broadcast footage based on a previously validated protocol. RESULTS A total of 183 PCEs were identified over 82 inter-county matches (2.23 per match; 59.5 per 1000 h of exposure). PCEs that occurred in the 4th quarter were significantly more likely to result in signs of SRC. Players most often intended to receive/control the sliotar (36.4%, n = 64) prior to PCEs. The most frequently observed mechanism was shoulder-to-head (20.2%, n = 37). Impacts to the lateral aspect of the head were 2.7 times more likely to result in visible signs than impacts to anteroposterior regions. CONCLUSIONS Players appear to be at a higher risk of SRC later in the match or when receiving the sliotar. Strikes to the lateral aspect of the head and those involving the shoulder appear to produce severe events. These findings provide initial guidance for the development of targeted player protection strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario P Rotundo
- Sport and Exercise Science Research Institute, Ulster University, Belfast, UK.
- Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
| | - Darek Sokol-Randell
- Sport and Exercise Science Research Institute, Ulster University, Belfast, UK
- Department of Neurology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, Canada
| | - Chris Bleakley
- Sport and Exercise Science Research Institute, Ulster University, Belfast, UK
| | - Paul Donnelly
- Sport and Exercise Science Research Institute, Ulster University, Belfast, UK
| | - Gregory Tierney
- Sport and Exercise Science Research Institute, Ulster University, Belfast, UK
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14
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Weber J, Reinsberger C, Krutsch V, Seiffert R, Huber L, Alt V, Krutsch W. Heading and risk of injury situations for the head in professional German football: a video analysis of over 150,000 headers in 110,000 match minutes. SCI MED FOOTBALL 2023; 7:307-314. [PMID: 35994618 DOI: 10.1080/24733938.2022.2114602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
To provide detailed epidemiological data on situations with a propensity of head injuries due to heading in professional football. In a prospective cohort study including the four highest professional football leagues in Germany, headers carried out in 1244 official matches and critical situations (CI) with a potential risk for injuries over one season were assessed by video analysis and a standardised video protocol. Results: 154,766 headers in 111,960 match minutes were recorded (1.4 headings/min). Video analysis showed a mean of 6.2 headers per field player and match (SD: 2,9; min: 0; max: 19) in the entire study population with a peak in the third league (7.1 per player and match). Headers were predominantly carried out with the forehead (78.5%), and nearly two-thirds occurred during defence (64.3%). 49.9% of all headers occurred during tackling, of which 78.3% involved body contact with an opponent. Video analysis yielded 848 CI. 74.5% of all critical incidents occurred during heading duels as a part of tackling (odds ratio: 3.6, 95%-CI: 2.4-5.2), and 99.4% involved body contact (odds ratio: 5.9, 95%-CI: 2,8-12,7). This study is the first to provide detailed epidemiological data on heading and critical incidences with high risk for head injuries in professional football. Heading duels bear a high risk of head injury and thus represent a key target for prevention strategies. The impacts of headers should be critically investigated regarding neurological consequences in further studies, by including the mean heading rate per mal field player and match.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Weber
- Department of Trauma, Orthopaedic and Sports Surgery, University Medical Centre Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Claus Reinsberger
- Institute of Sports Medicine, University of Paderborn, Paderborn, Germany
| | - Volker Krutsch
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Paracelsus Medical University, General Hospital Nuremberg, Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Robin Seiffert
- Department of Trauma, Orthopaedic and Sports Surgery, University Medical Centre Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Lorenz Huber
- Department of Trauma, Orthopaedic and Sports Surgery, University Medical Centre Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Volker Alt
- Department of Trauma, Orthopaedic and Sports Surgery, University Medical Centre Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Werner Krutsch
- Department of Trauma, Orthopaedic and Sports Surgery, University Medical Centre Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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15
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Ferdousi J, Post A, Karton C, Doelle K, Gilchrist MD, Hoshizaki TB. Head trauma analysis of laboratory reconstructed headers using 1966 Slazenger Challenge and 2018 Telstar 18 soccer balls. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18575. [PMID: 37903796 PMCID: PMC10616227 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45489-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Retired soccer players are presenting with early onset neurodegenerative diseases, potentially from heading the ball. It has been proposed that the older composition of soccer balls places higher strains on brain tissues. The purpose of this research was to compare the dynamic head response and brain tissue strain of laboratory reconstructed headers using replicas of the 1966 Slazenger Challenge and 2018 Telstar 18 World Cup soccer balls. Head-to-ball impacts were physically conducted in the laboratory by impacting a Hybrid III head form at three locations and four velocities using dry and wet soccer ball conditions, and computational simulation was used to measure the resulting brain tissue strain. This research showed that few significant differences were found in head dynamic response and maximum principal strain between the dry 1966 and 2018 balls during reconstructed soccer headers. Headers using the wet 1966 soccer ball resulted in higher head form responses at low-velocity headers and lower head responses as velocities increased. This study demonstrates that under dry conditions, soccer ball construction does not have a significant effect on head and brain response during headers reconstructed in the laboratory. Although ball construction didn't show a notable effect, this study revealed that heading the ball, comparable to goalkeeper kicks and punts at 22 m/s, led to maximum principal strains exceeding the 50% likelihood of injury risk threshold. This has implications for the potential risks associated with repetitive heading in soccer for current athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew Post
- Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Canada
- School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Clara Karton
- Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Canada.
| | - Klara Doelle
- Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Michael D Gilchrist
- School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
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16
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Graham NS, Sharp DJ. Dementia after traumatic brain injury. BMJ 2023; 383:2065. [PMID: 37857435 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.p2065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Neil Sn Graham
- UK DRI Centre for Care Research and Technology, Imperial College London
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London
| | - David J Sharp
- UK DRI Centre for Care Research and Technology, Imperial College London
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London
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17
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Stern RA, Trujillo-Rodriguez D, Tripodis Y, Pulukuri SV, Alosco ML, Adler CH, Balcer LJ, Bernick C, Baucom Z, Marek KL, McClean MD, Johnson KA, McKee AC, Stein TD, Mez J, Palmisano JN, Cummings JL, Shenton ME, Reiman EM. Amyloid PET across the cognitive spectrum in former professional and college American football players: findings from the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project. Alzheimers Res Ther 2023; 15:166. [PMID: 37798671 PMCID: PMC10552261 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-023-01315-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to repetitive head impacts (RHI) in American football players can lead to cognitive impairment and dementia due to neurodegenerative disease, particularly chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The pathognomonic lesion of CTE consists of perivascular aggregates of hyper-phosphorylated tau in neurons at the depths of cortical sulci. However, it is unclear whether exposure to RHI accelerates amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque formation and increases the risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although the Aβ neuritic plaques characteristic of AD are observed in a minority of later-stage CTE cases, diffuse plaques are more common. This study examined whether former professional and college American football players, including those with cognitive impairment and dementia, have elevated neuritic Aβ plaque density, as measured by florbetapir PET. Regardless of cognitive and functional status, elevated levels of florbetapir uptake were not expected. METHODS We examined 237 men ages 45-74, including 119 former professional (PRO) and 60 former college (COL) football players, with and without cognitive impairment and dementia, and 58 same-age men without a history of contact sports or TBI (unexposed; UE) and who denied cognitive or behavioral symptoms at telephone screening. Former players were categorized into four diagnostic groups: normal cognition, subjective memory impairment, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia. Positive florbetapir PET was defined by cortical-cerebellar average SUVR of ≥ 1.10. Multivariable linear regression and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) compared florbetapir average SUVR across diagnostic and exposure groups. Multivariable logistic regression compared florbetapir positivity. Race, education, age, and APOE4 were covariates. RESULTS There were no diagnostic group differences either in florbetapir average SUVR or the proportion of elevated florbetapir uptake. Average SUVR means also did not differ between exposure groups: PRO-COL (p = 0.94, 95% C.I. = [- 0.033, 0.025]), PRO-UE (p = 0.40, 95% C.I. = [- 0.010, 0.029]), COL-UE (p = 0.36, 95% CI = [0.0004, 0.039]). Florbetapir was not significantly associated with years of football exposure, cognition, or daily functioning. CONCLUSIONS Cognitive impairment in former American football players is not associated with PET imaging of neuritic Aβ plaque deposition. These findings are inconsistent with a neuropathological diagnosis of AD in individuals with substantial RHI exposure and have both clinical and medico-legal implications. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT02798185.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Stern
- Boston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, Boston, MA, L525, USA.
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- Departments of Neurosurgery, and Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Diana Trujillo-Rodriguez
- Boston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, Boston, MA, L525, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yorghos Tripodis
- Boston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, Boston, MA, L525, USA
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Surya V Pulukuri
- Boston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, Boston, MA, L525, USA
| | - Michael L Alosco
- Boston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, Boston, MA, L525, USA
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charles H Adler
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Laura J Balcer
- Departments of Neurology, Population Health and Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Charles Bernick
- Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Zachary Baucom
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kenneth L Marek
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders, Invicro, LLC, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael D McClean
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Keith A Johnson
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ann C McKee
- Boston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, Boston, MA, L525, USA
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Thor D Stein
- Boston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, Boston, MA, L525, USA
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jesse Mez
- Boston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, Boston, MA, L525, USA
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Framingham Heart Study, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph N Palmisano
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC), Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Cummings
- Department of Brain Health, School of Integrated Health Sciences, Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Martha E Shenton
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Harvard Medical School, Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eric M Reiman
- Banner Alzheimer's Institute, University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Translational Genomics Research Institute, and Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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Phansalkar R, Goodwill VS, Nirschl JJ, De Lillo C, Choi J, Spurlock E, Coughlin DG, Pizzo D, Sigurdson CJ, Hiniker A, Alvarez VE, Mckee AC, Lin JH. TDP43 pathology in chronic traumatic encephalopathy retinas. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:152. [PMID: 37737191 PMCID: PMC10515050 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01650-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with repetitive head trauma. Brain pathology in CTE is characterized by neuronal loss, gliosis, and a distinctive pattern of neuronal accumulation of hyper-phosphorylated tau (p-tau) and phospho-TDP43 (p-TDP43). Visual anomalies have been reported by patients with CTE, but the ocular pathology underlying these symptoms is unknown. We evaluated retinal pathology in post-mortem eyes collected from 8 contact sport athletes with brain autopsy-confirmed stage IV CTE and compared their findings to retinas from 8 control patients without CTE and with no known history of head injury. Pupil-optic nerve cross sections were prepared and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), p-tau, p-TDP43, and total TDP43 by immunohistochemistry. No significant retinal degeneration was observed in CTE eyes compared to control eyes by H&E. Strong cytoplasmic p-TDP43 and total TDP43 staining was found in 6/8 CTE eyes in a subset of inner nuclear layer interneurons (INL) of the retina, while only 1/8 control eyes showed similar p-TDP43 pathology. The morphology and location of these inner nuclear layer interneurons were most compatible with retinal horizontal cells, although other retinal cell types present in INL could not be ruled out. No p-tau pathology was observed in CTE or control retinas. These findings identify novel retinal TDP43 pathology in CTE retinas and support further investigation into the role of p-TDP43 in producing visual deficits in patients with CTE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vanessa S Goodwill
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey J Nirschl
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Jihee Choi
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Elizabeth Spurlock
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David G Coughlin
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Donald Pizzo
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Annie Hiniker
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Victor E Alvarez
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ann C Mckee
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan H Lin
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
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19
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Campos-Pires R, Ong BE, Koziakova M, Ujvari E, Fuller I, Boyles C, Sun V, Ko A, Pap D, Lee M, Gomes L, Gallagher K, Mahoney PF, Dickinson R. Repetitive, but Not Single, Mild Blast TBI Causes Persistent Neurological Impairments and Selective Cortical Neuronal Loss in Rats. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1298. [PMID: 37759899 PMCID: PMC10526452 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13091298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to repeated mild blast traumatic brain injury (mbTBI) is common in combat soldiers and the training of Special Forces. Evidence suggests that repeated exposure to a mild or subthreshold blast can cause serious and long-lasting impairments, but the mechanisms causing these symptoms are unclear. In this study, we characterise the effects of single and tightly coupled repeated mbTBI in Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to shockwaves generated using a shock tube. The primary outcomes are functional neurologic function (unconsciousness, neuroscore, weight loss, and RotaRod performance) and neuronal density in brain regions associated with sensorimotor function. Exposure to a single shockwave does not result in functional impairments or histologic injury, which is consistent with a mild or subthreshold injury. In contrast, exposure to three tightly coupled shockwaves results in unconsciousness, along with persistent neurologic impairments. Significant neuronal loss following repeated blast was observed in the motor cortex, somatosensory cortex, auditory cortex, and amygdala. Neuronal loss was not accompanied by changes in astrocyte reactivity. Our study identifies specific brain regions particularly sensitive to repeated mbTBI. The reasons for this sensitivity may include exposure to less attenuated shockwaves or proximity to tissue density transitions, and this merits further investigation. Our novel model will be useful in elucidating the mechanisms of sensitisation to injury, the temporal window of sensitivity and the evaluation of new treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Campos-Pires
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care Division, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Royal British Legion Centre for Blast Injury Studies, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Bee Eng Ong
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care Division, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Mariia Koziakova
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care Division, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Eszter Ujvari
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care Division, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Isobel Fuller
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care Division, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Charlotte Boyles
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care Division, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Valerie Sun
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care Division, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Andy Ko
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care Division, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Daniel Pap
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care Division, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Matthew Lee
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care Division, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Lauren Gomes
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care Division, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Kate Gallagher
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care Division, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Peter F. Mahoney
- Royal British Legion Centre for Blast Injury Studies, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Robert Dickinson
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care Division, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Royal British Legion Centre for Blast Injury Studies, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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20
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Cullinane PW, Wrigley S, Bradshaw TY, Shaw K, Shribman S, de Pablo Fernandez E, Warner TT, Jaunmuktane Z. Late Presentation of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in a Former Association Football Player. Mov Disord Clin Pract 2023; 10:1414-1418. [PMID: 37772307 PMCID: PMC10525051 DOI: 10.1002/mdc3.13829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by widespread accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau that typically occurs in people who have suffered repetitive head impacts. To date, very few cases have been reported in association football players. Objectives To describe the clinicopathological features of a case of CTE in an 84-year-old former football player who was clinically diagnosed as having dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Methods A retrospective review of the patient's primary care and hospital medical records was performed along with a comprehensive neuropathological examination. Results This patient presented at age 84 with symmetrical parkinsonism and cognitive impairment that was exacerbated by prochlorperazine. His condition was rapidly progressive with recurrent falls within 1 year. Other features included headaches, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, disturbed sleep and aggression. He received a clinical diagnosis of DLB and died approximately 2 years after the onset of symptoms. A post-mortem examination revealed stage 4 CTE. Conclusions While the contemporaneous onset of parkinsonism and cognitive symptoms in the context of possible neuroleptic sensitivity is suggestive of DLB, the additional symptoms of aggressive behavior, depression and suicidality in a former football player are consistent with the neuropathological diagnosis of CTE. This case, which is notable for the late presentation, demonstrates that CTE may masquerade as other dementias and highlights the importance of seeking a history of repetitive head impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick W. Cullinane
- Department of Clinical and Movement NeurosciencesUCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological DisordersUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Sarah Wrigley
- Department of Clinical and Movement NeurosciencesUCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological DisordersUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Teisha Y. Bradshaw
- Department of Clinical and Movement NeurosciencesUCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Karen Shaw
- Department of Clinical and Movement NeurosciencesUCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological DisordersUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Samuel Shribman
- Department of Clinical and Movement NeurosciencesUCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Eduardo de Pablo Fernandez
- Department of Clinical and Movement NeurosciencesUCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological DisordersUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Thomas T. Warner
- Department of Clinical and Movement NeurosciencesUCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological DisordersUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUnited Kingdom
- Queen Square Movement Disorders CentreUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Zane Jaunmuktane
- Department of Clinical and Movement NeurosciencesUCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological DisordersUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUnited Kingdom
- Division of Neuropathology, National Hospital for Neurology and NeurosurgeryUniversity College London NHS Foundation TrustLondonUnited Kingdom
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21
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Janković T, Pilipović K. Single Versus Repetitive Traumatic Brain Injury: Current Knowledge on the Chronic Outcomes, Neuropathology and the Role of TDP-43 Proteinopathy. Exp Neurobiol 2023; 32:195-215. [PMID: 37749924 PMCID: PMC10569144 DOI: 10.5607/en23008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most important causes of death and disability in adults and thus an important public health problem. Following TBI, secondary pathophysiological processes develop over time and condition the development of different neurodegenerative entities. Previous studies suggest that neurobehavioral changes occurring after a single TBI are the basis for the development of Alzheimer's disease, while repetitive TBI is considered to be a contributing factor for chronic traumatic encephalopathy development. However, pathophysiological processes that determine the evolvement of a particular chronic entity are still unclear. Human post-mortem studies have found combinations of amyloid, tau, Lewi bodies, and TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) pathologies after both single and repetitive TBI. This review focuses on the pathological changes of TDP-43 after single and repetitive brain traumas. Numerous studies have shown that TDP-43 proteinopathy noticeably occurs after repetitive head trauma. A relatively small number of available preclinical research on single brain injury are not in complete agreement with the results from the human samples, which makes it difficult to draw specific conclusions. Also, as TBI is considered a heterogeneous type of injury, different experimental trauma models and injury intensities may cause differences in the cascade of secondary injury, which should be considered in future studies. Experimental and post-mortem studies of TDP-43 pathobiology should be carried out, preferably in the same laboratories, to determine its involvement in the development of neurodegenerative conditions after one and repetitive TBI, especially in the context of the development of new therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Janković
- Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka 51000, Croatia
| | - Kristina Pilipović
- Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka 51000, Croatia
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22
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Bruce HJ, Tripodis Y, McClean M, Korell M, Tanner CM, Contreras B, Gottesman J, Kirsch L, Karim Y, Martin B, Palmisano J, Abdolmohammadi B, Shih LC, Stein TD, Stern RA, Adler CH, Mez J, Nowinski C, McKee AC, Alosco ML. American Football Play and Parkinson Disease Among Men. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2328644. [PMID: 37566412 PMCID: PMC10422187 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.28644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Parkinsonism and Parkinson disease (PD) are known to result from repetitive head impacts from boxing. Repetitive head impacts from American football may also be associated with increased risk of neurodegenerative pathologies that cause parkinsonism, yet in vivo research on the association between football play and PD is scarce and limited by small samples and equivocal findings. Objective To evaluate the association between football participation and self-reported parkinsonism or PD diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study leveraged data from the online Fox Insight study. Participants completed online questionnaires and self-reported whether they currently had a diagnosis of Parkinson disease or parkinsonism by a physician or other health care professional. In November 2020, the Boston University Head Impact Exposure Assessment was launched for data collection on repetitive head impacts. Data used for this manuscript were obtained from the Fox Insight database on June 9, 2022. A total of 1875 men who endorsed playing any organized sport were included. Former athletes were divided into those who participated in football (n = 729 [38.9%]) and those who participated in other sports (reference group). Exposures Self-reported participation in football, duration and level of football play, age at first exposure. Main Outcomes and Measures Logistic regression tested associations between PD status and history of football play, duration of football play, highest level played, and age at first exposure, controlling for age, education, history of diabetes or heart disease, body mass index, history of traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness, and family history of PD. Results In this sample of 1875 men (mean [SD] age, 67.69 [9.84] years) enriched for parkinsonism or PD (n = 1602 [85.4%]), 729 (38.9%) played football (mean [SD] duration, 4.35 [2.91] years). History of playing football was associated with higher odds of having a parkinsonism or PD diagnosis (odds ratio [OR], 1.61; 95% CI, 1.19-2.17). Among the entire sample, longer duration of play was associated with higher odds of having a parkinsonism or PD diagnosis (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.06-1.19). Among football players, longer duration of football play (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.02-1.23) and higher level of play (OR, 2.93; 95% CI, 1.28-6.73) were associated with higher odds of having parkinsonism or PD. Conclusions and Relevance In this cross-sectional study of participants enriched for PD, participation in football was associated with higher odds of having a reported parkinsonism or PD diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah J. Bruce
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yorghos Tripodis
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michael McClean
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Monica Korell
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco
| | | | | | - Joshua Gottesman
- The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, New York, New York
| | - Leslie Kirsch
- The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, New York, New York
| | - Yasir Karim
- The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, New York, New York
| | - Brett Martin
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Joseph Palmisano
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Bobak Abdolmohammadi
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ludy C. Shih
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Thor D. Stein
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
- Bedford Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bedford, Massachusetts
- Framingham Heart Study, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
- Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, United States Department of Veteran Affairs, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Robert A. Stern
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Neurosurgery, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Charles H. Adler
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale
| | - Jesse Mez
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
- Framingham Heart Study, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Ann C. McKee
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
- Bedford Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bedford, Massachusetts
- Framingham Heart Study, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
- Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, United States Department of Veteran Affairs, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michael L. Alosco
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
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23
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Espahbodi S, Hogervorst E, Macnab TMP, Thanoon A, Fernandes GS, Millar B, Duncan A, Goodwin M, Batt M, Fuller CW, Fuller G, Ferguson E, Bast T, Doherty M, Zhang W. Heading Frequency and Risk of Cognitive Impairment in Retired Male Professional Soccer Players. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2323822. [PMID: 37459095 PMCID: PMC10352859 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.23822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Although professional soccer players appear to be at higher risk of neurodegenerative disease, the reason remains unknown. Objective To examine whether heading frequency is associated with risk of cognitive impairment in retired professional soccer players. Design, Setting, and Participants A UK nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted between August 15, 2020, and December 31, 2021, in 459 retired male professional soccer players older than 45 years and registered with the Professional Footballers' Association or a League Club Players' Association. Exposure Data on heading frequency in 3 bands-0 to 5, 6 to 15, and more than 15 times per match or training session and other soccer-specific risk factors, such as player position and concussion-were collected through a self-reported questionnaire. Main Outcomes and Measures Cognitive impairment was defined using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-modified as scores of less than or equal to 21. Hopkins Verbal Learning Test, verbal fluency, and independent activities of daily living were also assessed. Test Your Memory and physician-diagnosed dementia/Alzheimer disease were self-reported via the questionnaire. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% CIs were calculated. Results Of 468 retired male professional soccer players who completed questionnaires (mean [SD] age, 63.68 [10.48]; body mass index, 27.22 [2.89]), 459 reported heading frequency: 114 headed 0 to 5 times, 185 headed 6 to 15 times, 160 headed more than 15 times per match, and 125 headed 0 to 5 times, 174 headed 6 to 15 times, and 160 headed more than 15 times per training session during their careers. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was 9.78% (0-5 times), 14.78% (6-15 times), and 15.20% (>15 times) per match (P = .51). Compared with players reporting 0 to 5 headers per match, the AORs were 2.71 (95% CI, 0.89-8.25) for players reporting 6 to 15 headers per match and 3.53 (95% CI, 1.13-11.04) for players reporting more than 15 headers per match (P = .03 for trend). Corresponding AORs for heading frequency per training session were 2.38 (95% CI, 0.82-6.95) for those reporting 6 to 15, and 3.40 (95% CI, 1.13-10.23) for those reporting more than 15 in comparison with those who reported 0 to 5 (P = .03 for trend). Concussion involving memory loss was also associated with a greater risk of cognitive impairment (AOR, 3.16; 95% CI, 1.08-9.22). Similar results were observed with other cognitive tests and self-reported physician-diagnosed dementia/Alzheimer disease. Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this study suggest that repetitive heading during a professional soccer career is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment in later life. Further study is needed to establish the upper threshold for heading frequency to mitigate this risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shima Espahbodi
- Academic Unit of Injury, Recovery and Inflammation Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis Research Versus Arthritis, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Pain Centre Versus Arthritis, Academic Rheumatology, City Hospital, Nottingham, UK
| | - Eef Hogervorst
- NCSEM, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Tara-Mei Povall Macnab
- Academic Unit of Injury, Recovery and Inflammation Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Pain Centre Versus Arthritis, Academic Rheumatology, City Hospital, Nottingham, UK
| | - Ahmed Thanoon
- Academic Unit of Injury, Recovery and Inflammation Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis Research Versus Arthritis, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Pain Centre Versus Arthritis, Academic Rheumatology, City Hospital, Nottingham, UK
| | - Gwen Sacha Fernandes
- Academic Unit of Injury, Recovery and Inflammation Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Bonnie Millar
- Academic Unit of Injury, Recovery and Inflammation Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Pain Centre Versus Arthritis, Academic Rheumatology, City Hospital, Nottingham, UK
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Ashley Duncan
- National Institute for Health Research ARC EM, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Maria Goodwin
- NCSEM, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Mark Batt
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis Research Versus Arthritis, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | | | - Gordon Fuller
- Centre for Urgent and Emergency Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Eamonn Ferguson
- Pain Centre Versus Arthritis, Academic Rheumatology, City Hospital, Nottingham, UK
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Donor Health and Behaviour, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Tobias Bast
- Pain Centre Versus Arthritis, Academic Rheumatology, City Hospital, Nottingham, UK
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Neuroscience@Nottingham, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Michael Doherty
- Academic Unit of Injury, Recovery and Inflammation Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis Research Versus Arthritis, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Pain Centre Versus Arthritis, Academic Rheumatology, City Hospital, Nottingham, UK
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Weiya Zhang
- Academic Unit of Injury, Recovery and Inflammation Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis Research Versus Arthritis, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Pain Centre Versus Arthritis, Academic Rheumatology, City Hospital, Nottingham, UK
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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Mavroudis I, Balmus IM, Ciobica A, Luca AC, Gorgan DL, Dobrin I, Gurzu IL. A Review of the Most Recent Clinical and Neuropathological Criteria for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:1689. [PMID: 37372807 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11121689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a complex pathological condition characterized by neurodegeneration, as a result of repeated head traumas. Currently, the diagnosis of CTE can only be assumed postmortem. Thus, the clinical manifestations associated with CTE are referred to as traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES), for which diagnostic multiple sets of criteria can be used. (2) Objectives: In this study, we aimed to present and discuss the limitations of the clinical and neuropathological diagnostic criteria for TES/CTE and to suggest a diagnostic algorithm enabling a more accurate diagnostic procedure. (3) Results: The most common diagnostic criteria for TES/CTE discriminate between possible, probable, and improbable. However, several key variations between the available diagnostic criteria suggest that the diagnosis of CTE can still only be given with postmortem neurophysiological examination. Thus, a TES/CTE diagnosis during life imposes a different level of certainty. Here, we are proposing a comprehensive algorithm of diagnosis criteria for TES/CTE based on the similarities and differences between the previous criteria. (4) Conclusions: The diagnosis of TES/CTE requires a multidisciplinary approach; thorough investigation for other neurodegenerative disorders, systemic illnesses, and/or psychiatric conditions that can account for the symptoms; and also complex investigations of patient history, psychiatric assessment, and blood and cerebrospinal fluid biomarker evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Mavroudis
- Department of Neurology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Leeds University, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK
| | - Ioana-Miruna Balmus
- Department of Exact Sciences and Natural Sciences, Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Alexandru Lapusneanu Street, No. 26, 700057 Iasi, Romania
| | - Alin Ciobica
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Biology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, B dul Carol I, No. 11, 700506 Iasi, Romania
| | - Alina-Costina Luca
- Faculty of Medicine, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Iasi, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Dragos Lucian Gorgan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Biology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, B dul Carol I, No. 11, 700506 Iasi, Romania
| | - Irina Dobrin
- Faculty of Medicine, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Iasi, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Irina Luciana Gurzu
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Interdisciplinarity, Discipline of Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Iasi, 700115 Iasi, Romania
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25
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Penn C, Katnik C, Cuevas J, Mohapatra SS, Mohapatra S. Multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT): Monitoring neurovascular changes in a mouse repetitive traumatic brain injury model. J Neurosci Methods 2023; 393:109876. [PMID: 37150303 PMCID: PMC10388337 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2023.109876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that mild TBI injuries, which comprise > 75% of all TBIs, can cause chronic post-concussive symptoms, especially when experienced repetitively (rTBI). rTBI is a major cause of cognitive deficit in athletes and military personnel and is associated with neurovascular changes. Current methods to monitor neurovascular changes in detail are prohibitively expensive and invasive for patients with mild injuries. NEW METHOD We evaluated the potential of multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) to monitor neurovascular changes and assess therapeutic strategies in a mouse model of rTBI. Mice were subjected to rTBI or sham via controlled cortical impact and administered pioglitazone (PG) or vehicle. Oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin were monitored using MSOT. Indocyanine green clearance was imaged via MSOT to evaluate blood-brain-barrier (BBB) integrity. RESULTS Mice subjected to rTBI show a transient increase in oxygenated/total hemoglobin ratio which can be mitigated by PG administration. rTBI mice also show BBB disruption shortly after injury and reduction of oxygenated/total hemoglobin in the chronic stage, neither of which were affected by PG intervention. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS MSOT imaging has the potential as a noninvasive in vivo imaging method to monitor neurovascular changes and assess therapeutics in mouse models of rTBI. In comparison to standard methods of tracking inflammation and BBB disruption, MSOT can be used multiple times throughout the course of injury without the need for surgery. Thus, MSOT is especially useful in research of rTBI models for screening therapeutics, and with further technological improvements may be extended for use in rTBI patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney Penn
- James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, 13000 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 12901 Bruce B Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Chris Katnik
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 12901 Bruce B Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Javier Cuevas
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 12901 Bruce B Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Shyam S Mohapatra
- James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, 13000 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 12901 Bruce B Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Subhra Mohapatra
- James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, 13000 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 12901 Bruce B Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
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26
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Fawzi AL, Franck C. Beyond symptomatic diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury. Concussion 2023; 8:CNC109. [PMID: 37287883 PMCID: PMC10242431 DOI: 10.2217/cnc-2023-0005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
It is commonly assumed that there is no brain injury if there are no noticeable symptoms following a head impact. There is growing evidence that traumatic brain injuries can occur with no outward symptoms and that the damage from these injuries can accumulate over time resulting in disease and impairment later in life. It is time to rethink the role that symptoms play in traumatic brain injury and adopt a quantitative understanding of brain health at the cellular level to improve the way we diagnose, prevent, and ultimately heal brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Lux Fawzi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Christian Franck
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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27
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van Amerongen S, Kamps S, Kaijser KKM, Pijnenburg YAL, Scheltens P, Teunissen CE, Barkhof F, Ossenkoppele R, Rozemuller AJM, Stern RA, Hoozemans JJM, Vijverberg EGB. Severe CTE and TDP-43 pathology in a former professional soccer player with dementia: a clinicopathological case report and review of the literature. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:77. [PMID: 37161501 PMCID: PMC10169296 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01572-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last decades, numerous post-mortem case series have documented chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in former contact-sport athletes, though reports of CTE pathology in former soccer players are scarce. This study presents a clinicopathological case of a former professional soccer player with young-onset dementia. The patient experienced early onset progressive cognitive decline and developed dementia in his mid-50 s, after playing soccer for 12 years at a professional level. While the clinical picture mimicked Alzheimer's disease, amyloid PET imaging did not provide evidence of elevated beta-amyloid plaque density. After he died in his mid-60 s, brain autopsy showed severe phosphorylated tau (p-tau) abnormalities fulfilling the neuropathological criteria for high-stage CTE, as well as astrocytic and oligodendroglial tau pathology in terms of tufted astrocytes, thorn-shaped astrocytes, and coiled bodies. Additionally, there were TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) positive cytoplasmic inclusions in the frontal lobe and hippocampus, and Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) positivity in the axons of the white matter. A systematic review of the literature revealed only 13 other soccer players with postmortem diagnosis of CTE. Our report illustrates the complex clinicopathological correlation of CTE and the need for disease-specific biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzan van Amerongen
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
- Department of Neurology, Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Suzie Kamps
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kyra K M Kaijser
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Yolande A L Pijnenburg
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Philip Scheltens
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- EQT Life Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Charlotte E Teunissen
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Frederik Barkhof
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Queen Square Institute of Neurology and Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rik Ossenkoppele
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Annemieke J M Rozemuller
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Robert A Stern
- Department of Neurology, Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Departments of Neurosurgery, and Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Everard G B Vijverberg
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Aranha MR, Coutinho AM, Carneiro CDG, Pastorello BF, Studart-Neto A, Guariglia CC, Tsunemi MH, Moreira ELS, Ianof JN, Anghinah R, Nitrini R, Cerri GG, Fortea J, Buchpiguel CA, Leite CC. Brain glucose metabolism and gray matter volume in retired professional soccer players: a cross-sectional [18F]FDG-PET/MRI study. ARQUIVOS DE NEURO-PSIQUIATRIA 2023; 81:433-443. [PMID: 37257463 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1768666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Professional soccer athletes are exposed to repetitive head impacts and are at risk of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy. OBJECTIVE To evaluate regional brain glucose metabolism (rBGM) and gray matter (GM) volume in retired soccer players (RSPs). METHODS Male RSPs and age and sex-matched controls prospectively enrolled between 2017 and 2019 underwent neurological and neuropsychological evaluations, brain MRI and [18F]FDG-PET in a 3.0-Tesla PET/MRI scanner. Visual analysis was performed by a blinded neuroradiologist and a blinded nuclear physician. Regional brain glucose metabolism and GM volume were assessed using SPM8 software. Groups were compared using appropriate statistical tests available at SPM8 and R. RESULTS Nineteen RSPs (median [IQR]: 62 [50-64.5] years old) and 20 controls (60 [48-73] years old) were included. Retired soccer players performed worse on mini-mental state examination, digit span, clock drawing, phonemic and semantic verbal fluency tests, and had reduced rBGM in the left temporal pole (pFDR = 0.008) and the anterior left middle temporal gyrus (pFDR = 0.043). Semantic verbal fluency correlated with rBGM in the right hippocampus, left temporal pole, and posterior left middle temporal gyrus (p ≤ 0.042). Gray matter volume reduction was observed in similar anatomic regions but was less extensive and did not survive correction for multiple comparisons (pFDR ≥ 0.085). Individual [18F]FDG-PET visual analysis revealed seven RSPs with overt hypometabolism in the medial and lateral temporal lobes, frontal lobes, and temporoparietal regions. Retired soccer players had a higher prevalence of septum pellucidum abnormalities on MRI. CONCLUSION Retired soccer players had reduced rBGM and GM volume in the temporal lobes and septum pellucidum abnormalities, findings possibly related to repetitive head impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateus Rozalem Aranha
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Radiologia, São Paulo SP, Brazil
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Centro de Medicina Nuclear, São Paulo SP, Brazil
- Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Institut de Recerca, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Facultad de Medicina, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Artur Martins Coutinho
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Centro de Medicina Nuclear, São Paulo SP, Brazil
| | - Camila de Godoi Carneiro
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Centro de Medicina Nuclear, São Paulo SP, Brazil
| | | | - Adalberto Studart-Neto
- Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Neurologia, Faculdade de Medicina, São Paulo SP, Brazil
| | - Carla Cristina Guariglia
- Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Neurologia, Faculdade de Medicina, São Paulo SP, Brazil
| | - Miriam Harumi Tsunemi
- Universidade Estadual Paulista, Departamento de Bioestatística, Instituto de Biociências, Botucatu SP, Brazil
| | | | - Jéssica Natuline Ianof
- Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Neurologia, Faculdade de Medicina, São Paulo SP, Brazil
| | - Renato Anghinah
- Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Neurologia, Faculdade de Medicina, São Paulo SP, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Nitrini
- Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Neurologia, Faculdade de Medicina, São Paulo SP, Brazil
| | - Giovanni Guido Cerri
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Radiologia, São Paulo SP, Brazil
| | - Juan Fortea
- Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Institut de Recerca, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Facultad de Medicina, Barcelona, Spain
- Fundación Catalana de Síndrome de Down, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Claudia Costa Leite
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Radiologia, São Paulo SP, Brazil
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29
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Nicks R, Clement NF, Alvarez VE, Tripodis Y, Baucom ZH, Huber BR, Mez J, Alosco ML, Aytan N, Cherry JD, Cormier KA, Kubilius C, Mathias R, Svirsky SE, Pothast MJ, Hildebrandt AM, Chung J, Han X, Crary JF, McKee AC, Frosch MP, Stein TD. Repetitive head impacts and chronic traumatic encephalopathy are associated with TDP-43 inclusions and hippocampal sclerosis. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 145:395-408. [PMID: 36681782 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02539-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Hippocampal sclerosis (HS) is associated with advanced age as well as transactive response DNA-binding protein with 43 kDa (TDP-43) deposits. Both hippocampal sclerosis and TDP-43 proteinopathy have also been described in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disease linked to exposure to repetitive head impacts (RHI). However, the prevalence of HS in CTE, the pattern of TDP-43 pathology, and associations of HS and TDP-43 with RHI are unknown. A group of participants with a history of RHI and CTE at autopsy (n = 401) as well as a group with HS-aging without CTE (n = 33) was examined to determine the prevalence of HS and TDP-43 inclusions in CTE and to compare the clinical and pathological features of HS and TDP-43 inclusions in CTE to HS-aging. In CTE, HS was present in 23.4%, and TDP-43 inclusions were present in 43.3% of participants. HS in CTE occurred at a relatively young age (mean 77.0 years) and was associated with a greater number of years of RHI than CTE without HS adjusting for age (p = 0.029). In CTE, TDP-43 inclusions occurred frequently in the frontal cortex and occurred both with and without limbic TDP-43. Additionally, structural equation modeling demonstrated that RHI exposure years were associated with hippocampal TDP-43 inclusions (p < 0.001) through increased CTE stage (p < 0.001). Overall, RHI and the development of CTE pathology may contribute to TDP-43 deposition and hippocampal sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond Nicks
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | - Nathan F Clement
- C.S. Kubik Laboratory for Neuropathology, Pathology Service, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Services, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Victor E Alvarez
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
| | - Yorghos Tripodis
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zachery H Baucom
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bertrand R Huber
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jesse Mez
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael L Alosco
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nurgul Aytan
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan D Cherry
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kerry A Cormier
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
| | - Carol Kubilius
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | - Rebecca Mathias
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | - Sarah E Svirsky
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | - Morgan J Pothast
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | | | - Jaeyoon Chung
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xudong Han
- Boston University Bioinformatics Graduate Program, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John F Crary
- Department of Pathology, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ann C McKee
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matthew P Frosch
- C.S. Kubik Laboratory for Neuropathology, Pathology Service, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Thor D Stein
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA.
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA.
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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30
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Stipa G, Ancidoni A, Vanacore N, Bellomo G. Raw Water and ALS: A Unifying Hypothesis for the Environmental Agents Involved in ALS. Ann Neurosci 2023; 30:124-132. [PMID: 37706096 PMCID: PMC10496797 DOI: 10.1177/09727531221120358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Different studies identified the presence of several altered genes in familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) forms. The experimental data, together with the epidemiological data, would seem to suggest the existence of molecular mechanisms (e.g., axonal transport) related to these genes, together with a susceptibility of the same genes to certain environmental factors that would therefore suggest an impact of the environment on the etiopathogenesis of ALS. In our review, we considered the most relevant environmental clusters around the world, collecting different hypotheses and underlining common environmental factors among the different clusters. Moreover, further epidemiological data identified a higher risk of ALS in professional athletes and, in particular, in soccer and football players. Despite this increased risk of ALS highlighted by the epidemiological evidence in aforementioned sports, the mechanisms remain unclear. At last, the use of raw water has been associated with ALS risk. The aim of the present review is to characterize a possible relationship between these clusters, to be explored in the context of the interaction between genetic and environmental factors on the etiopathogenesis of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Stipa
- Clinical Neurophysiology Division, Neuroscience Department, S. Maria University Hospital, Terni, Italy
| | - Antonio Ancidoni
- National Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, National Institute of Health (ISS), Roma, Italy
| | - Nicola Vanacore
- National Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, National Institute of Health (ISS), Roma, Italy
| | - Guido Bellomo
- National Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, National Institute of Health (ISS), Roma, Italy
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31
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Alosco ML, Tripodis Y, Baucom ZH, Adler CH, Balcer LJ, Bernick C, Mariani ML, Au R, Banks SJ, Barr WB, Wethe JV, Cantu RC, Coleman MJ, Dodick DW, McClean MD, McKee AC, Mez J, Palmisano JN, Martin B, Hartlage K, Lin AP, Koerte IK, Cummings JL, Reiman EM, Stern RA, Shenton ME, Bouix S. White matter hyperintensities in former American football players. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:1260-1273. [PMID: 35996231 PMCID: PMC10351916 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The presentation, risk factors, and etiologies of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) in people exposed to repetitive head impacts are unknown. We examined the burden and distribution of WMH, and their association with years of play, age of first exposure, and clinical function in former American football players. METHODS A total of 149 former football players and 53 asymptomatic unexposed participants (all men, 45-74 years) completed fluid-attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance imaging, neuropsychological testing, and self-report neuropsychiatric measures. Lesion Segmentation Toolbox estimated WMH. Analyses were performed in the total sample and stratified by age 60. RESULTS In older but not younger participants, former football players had greater total, frontal, temporal, and parietal log-WMH compared to asymptomatic unexposed men. In older but not younger former football players, greater log-WMH was associated with younger age of first exposure to football and worse executive function. DISCUSSION In older former football players, WMH may have unique presentations, risk factors, and etiologies. HIGHLIGHTS Older but not younger former football players had greater total, frontal, temporal, and parietal lobe white matter hyperintensities (WMH) compared to same-age asymptomatic unexposed men. Younger age of first exposure to football was associated with greater WMH in older but not younger former American football players. In former football players, greater WMH was associated with worse executive function and verbal memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L. Alosco
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Yorghos Tripodis
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Zachary H. Baucom
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Charles H. Adler
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ
| | - Laura J. Balcer
- Departments of Neurology, Population Health and Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Charles Bernick
- Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, NV
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Megan L. Mariani
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Rhoda Au
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
- Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA
- Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Sarah J. Banks
- Departments of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA
| | - William B. Barr
- Department of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Jennifer V. Wethe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ
| | - Robert C. Cantu
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Michael J. Coleman
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - David W. Dodick
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ
| | - Michael D. McClean
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Ann C. McKee
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA
| | - Jesse Mez
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
- Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA
| | - Joseph N. Palmisano
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC), Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Brett Martin
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC), Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Kaitlin Hartlage
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC), Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Alexander P. Lin
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
- Center for Clinical Spectroscopy, Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Inga K. Koerte
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
- cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Ludwigs-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Jeffrey L. Cummings
- Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience, Department of Brain Health, School of Integrated Health Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
| | - Eric M. Reiman
- Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Translational Genomics Research Institute, and Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium, Phoenix, AZ
| | - Robert A. Stern
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Martha E. Shenton
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Sylvain Bouix
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
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32
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McKee AC, Stein TD, Huber BR, Crary JF, Bieniek K, Dickson D, Alvarez VE, Cherry JD, Farrell K, Butler M, Uretsky M, Abdolmohammadi B, Alosco ML, Tripodis Y, Mez J, Daneshvar DH. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE): criteria for neuropathological diagnosis and relationship to repetitive head impacts. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 145:371-394. [PMID: 36759368 PMCID: PMC10020327 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02540-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Over the last 17 years, there has been a remarkable increase in scientific research concerning chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Since the publication of NINDS-NIBIB criteria for the neuropathological diagnosis of CTE in 2016, and diagnostic refinements in 2021, hundreds of contact sport athletes and others have been diagnosed at postmortem examination with CTE. CTE has been reported in amateur and professional athletes, including a bull rider, boxers, wrestlers, and American, Canadian, and Australian rules football, rugby union, rugby league, soccer, and ice hockey players. The pathology of CTE is unique, characterized by a pathognomonic lesion consisting of a perivascular accumulation of neuronal phosphorylated tau (p-tau) variably alongside astrocytic aggregates at the depths of the cortical sulci, and a distinctive molecular structural configuration of p-tau fibrils that is unlike the changes observed with aging, Alzheimer's disease, or any other tauopathy. Computational 3-D and finite element models predict the perivascular and sulcal location of p-tau pathology as these brain regions undergo the greatest mechanical deformation during head impact injury. Presently, CTE can be definitively diagnosed only by postmortem neuropathological examination; the corresponding clinical condition is known as traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES). Over 97% of CTE cases published have been reported in individuals with known exposure to repetitive head impacts (RHI), including concussions and nonconcussive impacts, most often experienced through participation in contact sports. While some suggest there is uncertainty whether a causal relationship exists between RHI and CTE, the preponderance of the evidence suggests a high likelihood of a causal relationship, a conclusion that is strengthened by the absence of any evidence for plausible alternative hypotheses. There is a robust dose-response relationship between CTE and years of American football play, a relationship that remains consistent even when rigorously accounting for selection bias. Furthermore, a recent study suggests that selection bias underestimates the observed risk. Here, we present the advances in the neuropathological diagnosis of CTE culminating with the development of the NINDS-NIBIB criteria, the multiple international studies that have used these criteria to report CTE in hundreds of contact sports players and others, and the evidence for a robust dose-response relationship between RHI and CTE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann C McKee
- VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Boston, MA, USA.
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA.
| | - Thor D Stein
- VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
| | - Bertrand R Huber
- VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John F Crary
- Departments of Pathology, Neuroscience, and Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, Neuropathology Brain Bank and Research Core, Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kevin Bieniek
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Dennis Dickson
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Victor E Alvarez
- VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan D Cherry
- VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kurt Farrell
- Departments of Pathology, Neuroscience, and Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, Neuropathology Brain Bank and Research Core, Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Morgane Butler
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | - Madeline Uretsky
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | - Bobak Abdolmohammadi
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | - Michael L Alosco
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yorghos Tripodis
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jesse Mez
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel H Daneshvar
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and CTE Centers, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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Collía A, Iranzo A, Serradell M, Muñoz-Lopetegi A, Mayà G, Santamaría J, Sánchez-Valle R, Gaig C. Former participation in professional football as an occupation in patients with isolated REM sleep behavior disorder leading to a synucleinopathy: a case-control study. J Neurol 2023; 270:3234-3242. [PMID: 36939930 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-11591-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Contact sports such as football are associated with late development of neurodegenerative diseases, in part due to the deleterious effect of repetitive head impacts during participation. Isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (IRBD) represents an early manifestation of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson disease (RBD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). We hypothesized that former professional football participation would be overrepresented in IRBD. OBJECTIVE To assess former participation in professional football as an occupation in IRBD. METHODS In a case-control retrospective study, having played football as a professional occupation in the Spanish Football Professional Leagues was examined interviewing polysomnographically confirmed IRBD patients and matched controls without IRBD. RESULTS Among 228 Caucasian Spanish IRBD patients with 68.5 ± 7.2 years, six (2.63%) were retired professional footballers. Length professional football career ranged between 11 and 16 years. Interval between football retirement and IRBD diagnosis was 39.5 ± 6.4 years. At IRBD diagnosis, the six footballers had synucleinopathy biomarkers including pathologic synuclein in the CSF and tissues, nigrostriatal dopaminergic deficit and hyposmia. Follow-up showed that three footballers developed PD and two DLB. None of the controls was a professional footballer. The percentage of professional footballers was higher in IRBD patients than in controls (2.63% versus 0.00%; p = 0.030) and among the general Spanish population (2.63% versus 0.62%; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION We found an overrepresentation of former professional footballers in IRBD patients who later developed PD and DLB after four decades from professional retirement. In professional footballers the development of a neurodegenerative disease may be first manifested by IRBD. Screening for IRBD in former footballers might identify individuals with underlying synucleinopathies. Further studies with larger samples are needed to confirm our observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Collía
- Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERNED: CB06/05/0018-ISCIII, Villarroel 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alex Iranzo
- Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERNED: CB06/05/0018-ISCIII, Villarroel 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Mónica Serradell
- Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERNED: CB06/05/0018-ISCIII, Villarroel 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Amaia Muñoz-Lopetegi
- Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERNED: CB06/05/0018-ISCIII, Villarroel 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gerard Mayà
- Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERNED: CB06/05/0018-ISCIII, Villarroel 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Santamaría
- Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERNED: CB06/05/0018-ISCIII, Villarroel 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raquel Sánchez-Valle
- Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERNED: CB06/05/0018-ISCIII, Villarroel 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carles Gaig
- Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERNED: CB06/05/0018-ISCIII, Villarroel 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain
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Alosco ML, Ly M, Mosaheb S, Saltiel N, Uretsky M, Tripodis Y, Martin B, Palmisano J, Delano-Wood L, Bondi MW, Meng G, Xia W, Daley S, Goldstein LE, Katz DI, Dwyer B, Daneshvar DH, Nowinski C, Cantu RC, Kowall NW, Stern RA, Alvarez VE, Mez J, Huber BR, McKee AC, Stein TD. Decreased myelin proteins in brain donors exposed to football-related repetitive head impacts. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad019. [PMID: 36895961 PMCID: PMC9990992 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
American football players and other individuals exposed to repetitive head impacts can exhibit a constellation of later-life cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms. While tau-based diseases such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy can underpin certain symptoms, contributions from non-tau pathologies from repetitive head impacts are increasingly recognized. We examined cross-sectional associations between myelin integrity using immunoassays for myelin-associated glycoprotein and proteolipid protein 1 with risk factors and clinical outcomes in brain donors exposed to repetitive head impacts from American football. Immunoassays for myelin-associated glycoprotein and proteolipid protein 1 were conducted on dorsolateral frontal white matter tissue samples of 205 male brain donors. Proxies of exposure to repetitive head impacts included years of exposure and age of first exposure to American football play. Informants completed the Functional Activities Questionnaire, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version (Behavioral Regulation Index), and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11. Associations between myelin-associated glycoprotein and proteolipid protein 1 with exposure proxies and clinical scales were tested. Of the 205 male brain donors who played amateur and professional football, the mean age was 67.17 (SD = 16.78), and 75.9% (n = 126) were reported by informants to be functionally impaired prior to death. Myelin-associated glycoprotein and proteolipid protein 1 correlated with the ischaemic injury scale score, a global indicator of cerebrovascular disease (r = -0.23 and -0.20, respectively, Ps < 0.01). Chronic traumatic encephalopathy was the most common neurodegenerative disease (n = 151, 73.7%). Myelin-associated glycoprotein and proteolipid protein 1 were not associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy status, but lower proteolipid protein 1 was associated with more severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (P = 0.03). Myelin-associated glycoprotein and proteolipid protein 1 were not associated with other neurodegenerative disease pathologies. More years of football play was associated with lower proteolipid protein 1 [beta = -2.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-4.52, -0.38]] and compared with those who played <11 years of football (n = 78), those who played 11 or more years (n = 128) had lower myelin-associated glycoprotein (mean difference = 46.00, 95% CI [5.32, 86.69]) and proteolipid protein 1 (mean difference = 24.72, 95% CI [2.40, 47.05]). Younger age of first exposure corresponded to lower proteolipid protein 1 (beta = 4.35, 95% CI [0.25, 8.45]). Among brain donors who were aged 50 or older (n = 144), lower proteolipid protein 1 (beta = -0.02, 95% CI [-0.047, -0.001]) and myelin-associated glycoprotein (beta = -0.01, 95% CI [-0.03, -0.002]) were associated with higher Functional Activities Questionnaire scores. Lower myelin-associated glycoprotein correlated with higher Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 scores (beta = -0.02, 95% CI [-0.04, -0.0003]). Results suggest that decreased myelin may represent a late effect of repetitive head impacts that contributes to the manifestation of cognitive symptoms and impulsivity. Clinical-pathological correlation studies with prospective objective clinical assessments are needed to confirm our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Alosco
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Monica Ly
- Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sydney Mosaheb
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicole Saltiel
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Madeline Uretsky
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yorghos Tripodis
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brett Martin
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph Palmisano
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lisa Delano-Wood
- Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mark W Bondi
- Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Weiming Xia
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sarah Daley
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lee E Goldstein
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Departments of Biomedical, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Boston University College of Engineering, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Douglas I Katz
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital, Braintree, MA, USA
| | - Brigid Dwyer
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital, Braintree, MA, USA
| | - Daniel H Daneshvar
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Robert C Cantu
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Concussion Legacy Foundation, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Emerson Hospital, Concord, MA, USA
| | - Neil W Kowall
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Robert A Stern
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Victor E Alvarez
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, USA
- National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare, Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jesse Mez
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Framingham Heart Study, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bertrand Russell Huber
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, USA
- National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare, Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ann C McKee
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, USA
- National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare, Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, USA
- Framingham Heart Study, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Thor D Stein
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, USA
- Framingham Heart Study, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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Dhote VV, Samundre P, Upaganlawar AB, Ganeshpurkar A. Gene Therapy for Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury: Challenges in Resolving Long-term Consequences of Brain Damage. Curr Gene Ther 2023; 23:3-19. [PMID: 34814817 DOI: 10.2174/1566523221666211123101441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The gene therapy is alluring not only for CNS disorders but also for other pathological conditions. Gene therapy employs the insertion of a healthy gene into the identified genome to replace or replenish genes responsible for pathological disorder or damage due to trauma. The last decade has seen a drastic change in the understanding of vital aspects of gene therapy. Despite the complexity of traumatic brain injury (TBI), the advent of gene therapy in various neurodegenerative disorders has reinforced the ongoing efforts of alleviating TBI-related outcomes with gene therapy. The review highlights the genes modulated in response to TBI and evaluates their impact on the severity and duration of the injury. We have reviewed strategies that pinpointed the most relevant gene targets to restrict debilitating events of brain trauma and utilize vector of choice to deliver the gene of interest at the appropriate site. We have made an attempt to summarize the long-term neurobehavioral consequences of TBI due to numerous pathometabolic perturbations associated with a plethora of genes. Herein, we shed light on the basic pathological mechanisms of brain injury, genetic polymorphism in individuals susceptible to severe outcomes, modulation of gene expression due to TBI, and identification of genes for their possible use in gene therapy. The review also provides insights on the use of vectors and challenges in translations of this gene therapy to clinical practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vipin V Dhote
- Faculty of Pharmacy, VNS Group of Institutions, Bhopal, MP, 462044, India
| | - Prem Samundre
- Faculty of Pharmacy, VNS Group of Institutions, Bhopal, MP, 462044, India
| | - Aman B Upaganlawar
- SNJB's Shree Sureshdada Jain College of Pharmacy, Chandwad, Nasik, Maharashtra, 423101, India
| | - Aditya Ganeshpurkar
- Department of Pharmacy, Shri Ram Institute of Technology, Jabalpur, MP, India
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36
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Muacevic A, Adler JR, Baykeens B, Hassan H, Gentleman S. Football (Soccer) as a Probable Cause of Long-Term Neurological Impairment and Neurodegeneration: A Narrative Review of the Debate. Cureus 2023; 15:e34279. [PMID: 36855480 PMCID: PMC9968489 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.34279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Football (soccer) is the most widely played sport across the globe. Due to some recent high-profile cases and epidemiological studies suggesting football can lead to neurodegeneration, scientific and public interest has been piqued. This has resulted in research into whether an association between football participation and neurodegeneration or neurological impairment is present. It has been theorised that a combination of repeated sub-concussive and concussive injuries, due to ball-heading and head collisions, may lead to neurodegeneration. However, evidence remains conflicting. Due to the popularity of the sport, and the serious conditions it has been linked to, it is important to determine whether repeated head impacts during football participation can play a causative role in neurodegenerative disease. To answer this question, a review of the current literature was carried out. Epidemiological evidence showed a higher incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis amongst amateur and professional footballers and that footballers in positions that involve less contact and heading, e.g., goalkeepers lead significantly longer lives. Additionally, imaging studies reach a similar conclusion, reporting changes in brain structure, blood flow, and inflammatory markers in footballers when compared to controls. However, studies looking at an association between heading frequency and cognition show a lack of consensus on whether a higher heading exposure results in reduced cognition. Similarly, in neuropathological studies, signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) have been found in some former players, with contrasting studies suggesting low levels of CTE-type pathology are found in the general population, regardless of exposure to head trauma. The majority of studies suggest a link between football and neurodegenerative disease. However, the high prevalence of retrospective cohort and cross-sectional studies, often plagued by recall bias, undermine the conclusions drawn. Therefore, until larger prospective cohort studies are conducted, concrete conclusions cannot be made. However, caution can be exercised to limit head impacts.
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Alosco ML, Su Y, Stein TD, Protas H, Cherry JD, Adler CH, Balcer LJ, Bernick C, Pulukuri SV, Abdolmohammadi B, Coleman MJ, Palmisano JN, Tripodis Y, Mez J, Rabinovici GD, Marek KL, Beach TG, Johnson KA, Huber BR, Koerte I, Lin AP, Bouix S, Cummings JL, Shenton ME, Reiman EM, McKee AC, Stern RA. Associations between near end-of-life flortaucipir PET and postmortem CTE-related tau neuropathology in six former American football players. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2023; 50:435-452. [PMID: 36152064 PMCID: PMC9816291 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-022-05963-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Flourine-18-flortaucipir tau positron emission tomography (PET) was developed for the detection for Alzheimer's disease. Human imaging studies have begun to investigate its use in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Flortaucipir-PET to autopsy correlation studies in CTE are needed for diagnostic validation. We examined the association between end-of-life flortaucipir PET and postmortem neuropathological measurements of CTE-related tau in six former American football players. METHODS Three former National Football League players and three former college football players who were part of the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project died and agreed to have their brains donated. The six players had flortaucipir (tau) and florbetapir (amyloid) PET prior to death. All brains from the deceased participants were neuropathologically evaluated for the presence of CTE. On average, the participants were 59.0 (SD = 9.32) years of age at time of PET. PET scans were acquired 20.33 (SD = 13.08) months before their death. Using Spearman correlation analyses, we compared flortaucipir standard uptake value ratios (SUVRs) to digital slide-based AT8 phosphorylated tau (p-tau) density in a priori selected composite cortical, composite limbic, and thalamic regions-of-interest (ROIs). RESULTS Four brain donors had autopsy-confirmed CTE, all with high stage disease (n = 3 stage III, n = 1 stage IV). Three of these four met criteria for the clinical syndrome of CTE, known as traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES). Two did not have CTE at autopsy and one of these met criteria for TES. Concomitant pathology was only present in one of the non-CTE cases (Lewy body) and one of the CTE cases (motor neuron disease). There was a strong association between flortaucipir SUVRs and p-tau density in the composite cortical (ρ = 0.71) and limbic (ρ = 0.77) ROIs. Although there was a strong association in the thalamic ROI (ρ = 0.83), this is a region with known off-target binding. SUVRs were modest and CTE and non-CTE cases had overlapping SUVRs and discordant p-tau density for some regions. CONCLUSIONS Flortaucipir-PET could be useful for detecting high stage CTE neuropathology, but specificity to CTE p-tau is uncertain. Off-target flortaucipir binding in the hippocampus and thalamus complicates interpretation of these associations. In vivo biomarkers that can detect the specific p-tau of CTE across the disease continuum are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Alosco
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yi Su
- Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Arizona State University, and Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Thor D Stein
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
| | - Hillary Protas
- Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Jonathan D Cherry
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charles H Adler
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Laura J Balcer
- Departments of Neurology, Population Health and Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Charles Bernick
- Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, NV, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Surya Vamsi Pulukuri
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bobak Abdolmohammadi
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael J Coleman
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph N Palmisano
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC), Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yorghos Tripodis
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jesse Mez
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA, USA
| | - Gil D Rabinovici
- Memory & Aging Center, Departments of Neurology, Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kenneth L Marek
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders, Invicro, LLC, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Thomas G Beach
- Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, Arizona, USA
| | - Keith A Johnson
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Boston, MA, USA
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bertrand Russell Huber
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
- National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare, Jamaica Plain, MA, USA
| | - Inga Koerte
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
- NICUM (NeuroImaging Core Unit Munich), Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | - Alexander P Lin
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Clinical Spectroscopy, Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sylvain Bouix
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Cummings
- Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience, Department of Brain Health, School of Integrated Health Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Martha E Shenton
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eric M Reiman
- Banner Alzheimer's Institute, University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Translational Genomics Research Institute, and Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Ann C McKee
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
| | - Robert A Stern
- Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- Departments of Neurosurgery, and Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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Russell ER, Mackay DF, Lyall D, Stewart K, MacLean JA, Robson J, Pell JP, Stewart W. Neurodegenerative disease risk among former international rugby union players. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2022; 93:1262-1268. [PMID: 36195436 PMCID: PMC9669247 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2022-329675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autopsy studies of former contact sports athletes, including soccer and rugby players, frequently report chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a neurodegenerative pathology associated with traumatic brain injury. Nevertheless, little is known about the risk of neurodegenerative disease in these populations. We hypothesised that neurodegenerative disease risk would be higher among former elite rugby union players than the general population. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study accessing national electronic records on death certification, hospital admissions and dispensed prescriptions for a cohort of 412 male Scottish former international rugby union players and 1236 members of the general population, matched to former players by age, sex and area socioeconomic status. Mortality and incident neurodegenerative disease diagnoses among former rugby players were then compared with the matched comparison group. RESULTS Over a median 32 years follow-up from study entry at age 30 years, 121 (29.4%) former rugby players and 381 (30.8%) of the matched comparison group died. All-cause mortality was lower among former rugby players until 70 years of age with no difference thereafter. During follow-up, 47 (11.4%) former rugby players and 67 (5.4%) of the comparison group were diagnosed with incident neurodegenerative disease (HR 2.67, 95% CI 1.67 to 4.27, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS This study adds to our understanding of the association between contact sports participation and the risk of neurodegenerative disease. While further research exploring this interaction is required, in the meantime strategies to reduce exposure to head impacts and head injuries in sport should be promoted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma R Russell
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Daniel F Mackay
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Donald Lyall
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Katy Stewart
- Hampden Sports Clinic, Glasgow, UK.,Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - John A MacLean
- Hampden Sports Clinic, Glasgow, UK.,Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Jill P Pell
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - William Stewart
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK .,Department of Neuropathology, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, UK
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Smirl JD, Peacock D, Burma JS, Wright AD, Bouliane KJ, Dierijck J, van Donkelaar P. Repetitive bout of controlled soccer heading does not alter heart rate variability metrics: A preliminary investigation. Front Neurol 2022; 13:980938. [PMID: 36504654 PMCID: PMC9732532 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.980938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives There is elevated unease regarding how repetitive head impacts, such as those associated with soccer heading, contribute to alterations in brain function. This study examined the extent heart rate variability (HRV) and cardiac baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS) metrics are altered immediately following an acute bout of soccer heading. Methods Seven male elite soccer players (24.1 ± 1.5 years) completed 40 successful soccer headers in 20-min. The headers were performed under controlled circumstances using a soccer ball launcher located 25 meters away and using an initial ball velocity of 77.5 ± 3.7 km/h (heading condition). An accelerometer (xPatch) on the right mastoid process quantified linear/rotational head accelerations. Participants also completed sham (body contact) and control (non-contact) sessions. A three-lead ECG and finger photoplethysmography characterized short-term spontaneous HRV/cardiac BRS, before and after each condition. The SCAT3 indexed symptom scores pre-post exposures to all three conditions. Results During the heading condition, cumulative linear and rotational accelerations experienced were 1,574 ± 97.9 g and 313,761 ± 23,966 rad/s2, respectively. Heart rate trended toward an increase from pre- to post-heading (p = 0.063), however HRV metrics in the time-domain (ps > 0.260) and frequency-domain (ps > 0.327) as well as cardiac BRS (ps > 0.144) were not significantly changed following all three conditions. Following the heading condition, SCAT3 symptom severity increased (p = 0.030) with a trend for symptom score augmentation (p = 0.078) compared to control and sham. Conclusion Whereas, symptoms as measured by the SCAT3 were induced following an acute bout of controlled soccer heading, these preliminary findings indicate they were not accompanied by alterations to autonomic function. Ultimately, this demonstrates further research is needed to understand the physiological underpinnings of alterations in brain function occurring immediately after a bout of soccer heading and how these may, over time, contribute to long-term neurological impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan David Smirl
- Concussion Research Lab, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada,Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Human Performance Laboratory, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Faculty of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Integrated Concussion Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Libin Cardiovascular Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,*Correspondence: Jonathan David Smirl
| | - Dakota Peacock
- Southern Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada,Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Joel Stephen Burma
- Concussion Research Lab, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada,Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Human Performance Laboratory, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Faculty of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Integrated Concussion Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Libin Cardiovascular Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Alexander D. Wright
- Concussion Research Lab, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada,Southern Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada,University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada,Experimental Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kevin J. Bouliane
- Concussion Research Lab, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - Jill Dierijck
- Concussion Research Lab, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada,School of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Paul van Donkelaar
- Concussion Research Lab, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
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Kepka S, Lersy F, Godet J, Blanc F, Bilger M, Botzung A, Kleitz C, Merignac J, Ohrant E, Garnier F, Pietra F, Noblet V, Deck C, Willinger R, Kremer S. Cerebral and cognitive modifications in retired professional soccer players: TC-FOOT protocol, a transverse analytical study. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e060459. [PMID: 36351716 PMCID: PMC9664284 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-060459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. This contact sport carries the risk of exposure to repeated head impacts in the form of subconcussions, defined as minimal brain injuries following head impact, with no symptom of concussion. While it has been suggested that exposure to repetitive subconcussive events can result in long-term neurophysiological modifications, and the later development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the consequences of these repeated impacts remain controversial and largely unexplored in the context of soccer players. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This is a prospective, single-centre, exposure/non-exposure, transverse study assessing the MRI and neuropsychological abnormalities in professional retired soccer players exposed to subconcussive impacts, compared with high-level athletes not exposed to head impacts. The primary outcome corresponds to the results of MRI by advanced MRI techniques (diffusion tensor, cerebral perfusion, functional MRI, cerebral volumetry and cortical thickness, spectroscopy, susceptibility imaging). Secondary outcomes are the results of the neuropsychological tests: number of errors and time to complete tests. We hypothesise that repeated subconcussive impacts could lead to morphological lesions and impact on soccer players' cognitive skills in the long term. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethics approval has been obtained and the study was approved by the Comité de Protection des Personnes (CPP) No 2021-A01169-32. Study findings will be disseminated by publication in a high-impact international journal. Results will be presented at national and international imaging meetings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT04903015.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Kepka
- Emergency Department, University Hospital Centre Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg-CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - François Lersy
- Imaging Department, University Hospital Centre Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Julien Godet
- ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg-CNRS, Strasbourg, France
- Public Health Unit, University Hospital of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Frederic Blanc
- ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg-CNRS, Strasbourg, France
- Geriatrics and Neurology Departments, Research and Resources Memory Center (CM2R), University Hospital of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Mathias Bilger
- Neuropsychology Department, University Hospital Centre Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Anne Botzung
- Geriatrics and Neurology Departments, Research and Resources Memory Center (CM2R), University Hospital of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Catherine Kleitz
- Neuropsychology Department, University Hospital Centre Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jeanne Merignac
- Geriatrics and Neurology Departments, Research and Resources Memory Center (CM2R), University Hospital of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Franck Garnier
- School of Osteopathy, College COS Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Medical Sport Center of Strasbourg, CMSM, Strasburg, France
| | | | - Vincent Noblet
- ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg-CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Caroline Deck
- ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg-CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Remy Willinger
- ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg-CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Stéphane Kremer
- ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg-CNRS, Strasbourg, France
- Imaging Department, University Hospital Centre Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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Mahon E, Lachman ME. Voice biomarkers as indicators of cognitive changes in middle and later adulthood. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 119:22-35. [PMID: 35964541 PMCID: PMC9487188 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Voice prosody measures have been linked with Alzheimer's disease (AD), but it is unclear whether they are associated with normal cognitive aging. We assessed relationships between voice measures and 10-year cognitive changes in the MIDUS national sample of middle-aged and older adults ages 42-92, with a mean age of 64.09 (standard deviation = 11.23) at the second wave. Seven cognitive tests were assessed in 2003-2004 (Wave 2) and 2013-2014 (Wave 3). Voice measures were collected at Wave 3 (N = 2585) from audio recordings of the cognitive interviews. Analyses controlled for age, education, depressive symptoms, and health. As predicted, higher jitter was associated with greater declines in episodic memory, verbal fluency, and attention switching. Lower pulse was related to greater decline in episodic memory, and fewer voice breaks were related to greater declines in episodic memory and verbal fluency, although the direction of these effects was contrary to hypotheses. Findings suggest that voice biomarkers may offer a promising approach for early detection of risk factors for cognitive impairment or AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Mahon
- Brandeis University, Department of Psychology, Waltham, MA, USA.
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42
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Ye K, Fleysher R, Lipton RB, Zimmerman ME, Stewart WF, Sliwinski MJ, Kim M, Lipton ML. Repetitive soccer heading adversely impacts short-term learning among adult women. J Sci Med Sport 2022; 25:935-941. [PMID: 36210312 PMCID: PMC10020927 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2022.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine the impact of 12-month heading exposure on short-term learning. DESIGN A total of 105 active amateur soccer players, 45 women and 60 men, were administered an EMA-based test of working memory, a version of the two-back, once daily for 14 days. METHODS Heading exposure of the participants was assessed using "HeadCount", a validated structured questionnaire at the baseline visits. The short-term rate of learning of each individual is quantified by first fitting a quadratic model to the daily performance on the two-back test over a two-week period, then taking the instantaneous rate of the quadratic function at the 7th test. A linear regression model was used to test the association of heading exposure with rates of learning, including age, sex, years of education and history of concussion as covariates, as well as variables describing soccer play and heading within the two-week period. Sensitivity analyses were performed using different methods for quantifying the learning effects and different transformations on 12-month heading exposure. RESULTS Greater 12-month heading was associated with lower rates of learning among women (p = 0.008) but not among men (p = 0.74). CONCLUSIONS We have identified evidence for an adverse, albeit subclinical, effect of soccer heading on brain function among young adult players, which selectively affects women in our sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenny Ye
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, USA; Department of Systems & Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, USA.
| | - Roman Fleysher
- Gruss Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, USA; Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, USA
| | - Richard B Lipton
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, USA; Saul B. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Montefiore Medical Center, USA
| | | | | | - Martin J Sliwinski
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA
| | - Mimi Kim
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, USA
| | - Michael L Lipton
- Gruss Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, USA; Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, USA; Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, USA.
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43
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Asken BM, Tanner JA, VandeVrede L, Casaletto KB, Staffaroni AM, Mundada N, Fonseca C, Iaccarino L, La Joie R, Tsuei T, Mladinov M, Grant H, Shankar R, Wang KKW, Xu H, Cobigo Y, Rosen H, Gardner RC, Perry DC, Miller BL, Spina S, Seeley WW, Kramer JH, Grinberg LT, Rabinovici GD. Multi-Modal Biomarkers of Repetitive Head Impacts and Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome: A Clinicopathological Case Series. J Neurotrauma 2022; 39:1195-1213. [PMID: 35481808 PMCID: PMC9422800 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2022.0060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES) criteria were developed to aid diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) pathology during life. Interpreting clinical and biomarker findings in patients with TES during life necessitates autopsy-based determination of the neuropathological profile. We report a clinicopathological series of nine patients with previous repetitive head impacts (RHI) classified retrospectively using the recent TES research framework (100% male and white/Caucasian, age at death 49-84) who completed antemortem neuropsychological evaluations, T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging (n = 6), (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (n = 5), and plasma measurement of neurofilament light (NfL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and total tau (n = 8). Autopsies were performed on all patients. Cognitively, low test scores and longitudinal decline were relatively consistent for memory and executive function. Medial temporal lobe atrophy was observed in all nine patients. Poor white matter integrity was consistently found in the fornix. Glucose hypometabolism was most common in the medial temporal lobe and thalamus. Most patients had elevated plasma GFAP, NfL, and total tau at their initial visit and a subset showed longitudinally increasing concentrations. Neuropathologically, five of the nine patients had CTE pathology (n = 4 "High CTE"/McKee Stage III-IV, n = 1 "Low CTE"/McKee Stage I). Primary neuropathological diagnoses (i.e., the disease considered most responsible for observed symptoms) were frontotemporal lobar degeneration (n = 2 FTLD-TDP, n = 1 FTLD-tau), Alzheimer disease (n = 3), CTE (n = 2), and primary age-related tauopathy (n = 1). In addition, hippocampal sclerosis was a common neuropathological comorbidity (n = 5) and associated with limbic-predominant TDP-43 proteinopathy (n = 4) or FTLD-TDP (n = 1). Memory and executive function decline, limbic system brain changes (atrophy, decreased white matter integrity, hypometabolism), and plasma biomarker alterations are common in RHI and TES but may reflect multiple neuropathologies. In particular, the neuropathological differential for patients with RHI or TES presenting with medial temporal atrophy and memory loss should include limbic TDP-43. Researchers and clinicians should be cautious in attributing cognitive, neuroimaging, or other biomarker changes solely to CTE tau pathology based on previous RHI or a TES diagnosis alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breton M. Asken
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jeremy A. Tanner
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Lawren VandeVrede
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kaitlin B. Casaletto
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Adam M. Staffaroni
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Nidhi Mundada
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Corrina Fonseca
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Leonardo Iaccarino
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Renaud La Joie
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Torie Tsuei
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Miho Mladinov
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Harli Grant
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Ranjani Shankar
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kevin K. W. Wang
- Program for Neurotrauma, Neuroproteomics & Biomarkers Research, Department of Emergency Medicine, Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Chemistry, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Haiyan Xu
- Program for Neurotrauma, Neuroproteomics & Biomarkers Research, Department of Emergency Medicine, Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Chemistry, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Yann Cobigo
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Howie Rosen
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Raquel C. Gardner
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - David C. Perry
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Bruce L. Miller
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Salvatore Spina
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - William W. Seeley
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Joel H. Kramer
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Lea T. Grinberg
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Gil D. Rabinovici
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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Bellomo G, Piscopo P, Corbo M, Pupillo E, Stipa G, Beghi E, Vanacore N, Lacorte E. A systematic review on the risk of neurodegenerative diseases and neurocognitive disorders in professional and varsity athletes. Neurol Sci 2022; 43:6667-6691. [PMID: 35976476 PMCID: PMC9663371 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-022-06319-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Objective
The aim of this systematic review (SR) was to gather all available epidemiological evidence on former participation in any type of sport, at a professional and varsity level, as a potential risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) and neurocognitive disorders (NCDs).
Design
Systematic searches were performed on PubMed, the Cochrane databases, and the ISI Web of Knowledge databases. Included studies were assessed using the NOS checklist.
Eligibility criteria for selecting studies
All epidemiological studies reporting data on the possible association between a clinical diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)/motor neuron disease (MND), dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Parkinson’s disease (PD), chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at any stage and with any clinical pattern and the former participation in any types of sport at a varsity and professional level were included.
Results
Data from the 17 included studies showed a higher frequency of NDs and NCDs in former soccer and American football players. Updating the previous SR confirmed a higher frequency of ALS/MND in former soccer players. Data reported a significantly higher risk of dementia/AD in former soccer players, and of MCI in former American football players. Results also showed a significantly higher risk of PD in former soccer and American football players, and a significantly higher risk of CTE in former boxers and American football players.
Summary/conclusions
This SR confirmed a higher risk of NDs and NCDs in former professional/varsity athletes. However, the pathological mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear, and further high-quality studies should be performed to clarify whether the association could be sport specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Bellomo
- National Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.
| | - P Piscopo
- Department of Neurosciences, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - M Corbo
- Department of Neurorehabilitation Sciences, Casa Cura Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - E Pupillo
- Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - G Stipa
- Clinical Neurophysiology Division, Neuroscience Department, S. Maria University Hospital, Terni, Italy
| | - E Beghi
- Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - N Vanacore
- National Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - E Lacorte
- National Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
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45
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LeClair J, Weuve J, Fox MP, Mez J, Alosco ML, Nowinski C, McKee A, Tripodis Y. Relationship Between Level of American Football Playing and Diagnosis of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in a Selection Bias Analysis. Am J Epidemiol 2022; 191:1429-1443. [PMID: 35434739 PMCID: PMC9989358 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwac075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with exposure to repetitive head impacts such as those from American football. Our understanding of this association is based on research in autopsied brains, since CTE can only be diagnosed postmortem. Such studies are susceptible to selection bias, which needs to be accounted for to ensure a generalizable estimate of the association between repetitive head impacts and CTE. We evaluated the relationship between level of American football playing and CTE diagnosis after adjusting for selection bias. The sample included 290 deceased male former American football players who donated their brains to the Veterans Affairs-Boston University-Concussion Legacy Foundation (VA-BU-CLF) Brain Bank between 2008 and 2019. After adjustment for selection bias, college-level and professional football players had 2.38 (95% simulation interval (SI): 1.16, 5.94) and 2.47 (95% SI: 1.46, 4.79) times the risk of being diagnosed with CTE as high-school-level players, respectively; these estimates are larger than estimates with no selection bias adjustment. Since CTE is currently diagnosed only postmortem, we additionally provide plausible scenarios for CTE risk ratios for each level of play during the former players' lifetime. This study provides further evidence to support a dose-response relationship between American football playing and CTE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yorghos Tripodis
- Correspondence to Dr. Yorghos Tripodis, Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Boston University, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, Crosstown Center, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02118 (e-mail: )
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46
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Nowinski CJ, Bureau SC, Buckland ME, Curtis MA, Daneshvar DH, Faull RLM, Grinberg LT, Hill-Yardin EL, Murray HC, Pearce AJ, Suter CM, White AJ, Finkel AM, Cantu RC. Applying the Bradford Hill Criteria for Causation to Repetitive Head Impacts and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Front Neurol 2022; 13:938163. [PMID: 35937061 PMCID: PMC9355594 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.938163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with a history of repetitive head impacts (RHI). CTE was described in boxers as early as the 1920s and by the 1950s it was widely accepted that hits to the head caused some boxers to become "punch drunk." However, the recent discovery of CTE in American and Australian-rules football, soccer, rugby, ice hockey, and other sports has resulted in renewed debate on whether the relationship between RHI and CTE is causal. Identifying the strength of the evidential relationship between CTE and RHI has implications for public health and medico-legal issues. From a public health perspective, environmentally caused diseases can be mitigated or prevented. Medico-legally, millions of children are exposed to RHI through sports participation; this demographic is too young to legally consent to any potential long-term risks associated with this exposure. To better understand the strength of evidence underlying the possible causal relationship between RHI and CTE, we examined the medical literature through the Bradford Hill criteria for causation. The Bradford Hill criteria, first proposed in 1965 by Sir Austin Bradford Hill, provide a framework to determine if one can justifiably move from an observed association to a verdict of causation. The Bradford Hill criteria include nine viewpoints by which to evaluate human epidemiologic evidence to determine if causation can be deduced: strength, consistency, specificity, temporality, biological gradient, plausibility, coherence, experiment, and analogy. We explored the question of causation by evaluating studies on CTE as it relates to RHI exposure. Through this lens, we found convincing evidence of a causal relationship between RHI and CTE, as well as an absence of evidence-based alternative explanations. By organizing the CTE literature through this framework, we hope to advance the global conversation on CTE mitigation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Nowinski
- Concussion Legacy Foundation, Boston, MA, United States,*Correspondence: Christopher J. Nowinski
| | | | - Michael E. Buckland
- Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia,School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Maurice A. Curtis
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Daniel H. Daneshvar
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Richard L. M. Faull
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Lea T. Grinberg
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States,Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States,Department of Pathology, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil,Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Elisa L. Hill-Yardin
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, STEM College, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia,Department of Anatomy & Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Helen C. Murray
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Alan J. Pearce
- College of Science, Health, and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Catherine M. Suter
- Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia,School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Adam J. White
- Department of Sport, Health Science, and Social Work, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom,Concussion Legacy Foundation UK, Cheltenham, United Kingdom
| | - Adam M. Finkel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Robert C. Cantu
- Concussion Legacy Foundation, Boston, MA, United States,Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States,Department of Neurosurgery, Emerson Hospital, Concord, MA, United States
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47
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Ströhle A, Bendau A, Augustin N, Esch AD, Große J, Kaminski J, Petzold MB, Plag J, Schmidt M, Schütte M, Strehle N, Wendt N. [Sports psychiatry and psychotherapy]. DER NERVENARZT 2022; 93:742-753. [PMID: 35781520 DOI: 10.1007/s00115-022-01342-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Sports psychiatry and psychotherapy is a relatively young field and is comprised of two key segments: the special features of the diagnostics and therapy of mental disorders in elite athletes and the use of exercise and sports in the development and treatment of mental disorders. Although all mental disorders can in principle also occur in (elite) athletes, there are additionally sport-specific mental disorders, such as anorexia athletica and other eating disorders, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, misuse of and dependency on performance-enhancing substances (doping) and muscle dysmorphia. Many high-quality clinical trials over the past two decades have been able to demonstrate a therapeutic efficacy of physical activity and sport in the treatment of various mental disorders. All clinicians active in psychiatry and psychotherapy should possess a basic knowledge of sports psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Ströhle
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland.
| | - Antonia Bendau
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
- HMU Health and Medical University Potsdam, Potsdam, Deutschland
| | - Noah Augustin
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Anna Dania Esch
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Julia Große
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Jan Kaminski
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
- Psychologisches Institut, Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln, Köln, Deutschland
| | - Moritz Bruno Petzold
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Jens Plag
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
- Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Psychosomatik, Alexianer Krankenhaus Hedwigshöhe, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Maike Schmidt
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Martina Schütte
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
- Zentrum für praktische Sportpsychologie, Universität Potsdam, Potsdam, Deutschland
| | - Nicola Strehle
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Nora Wendt
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
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48
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McCann H, Bahar AY, Burkhardt K, Gardner AJ, Halliday GM, Iverson GL, Shepherd CE. Prevalence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in the Sydney Brain Bank. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac189. [PMID: 35950093 PMCID: PMC9356727 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy neuropathologic change can only be definitively diagnosed post-mortem. It has been associated with repetitive mild neurotrauma sustained in amateur and professional contact, collision and combat sports, although it has also been documented in people with a single severe traumatic brain injury and in some people with no known history of brain injury. The characteristic neuropathology is an accumulation of perivascular neuronal and astrocytic phosphorylated tau in the depths of the cortical sulci. The tau-immunopositive neurons and astrocytes that are considered pathognomonic for chronic traumatic encephalopathy are morphologically indistinguishable from Alzheimer-related neurofibrillary tangles and ageing-related tau astrogliopathy, respectively, although they are found in different spatial distributions throughout the cortex. The Sydney Brain Bank collection consists of neurodegenerative diseases and neurologically normal controls. We screened 636 of these cases for chronic traumatic encephalopathy neuropathologic change. A subset of 109 cases had a known history of traumatic brain injury. Three cortical regions were screened for the presence of neuronal and astrocytic phosphorylated tau according to the current 2021 National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke/National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering consensus criteria for chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Five cases (0.79%) showed pathological evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy and three of these had a history of traumatic brain injury. Three cases had coexisting Alzheimer’s and/or Lewy body disease pathology meeting criteria for neurodegenerative disease. Another eight cases almost met criteria for chronic traumatic encephalopathy neuropathological change except for an absence of neuronal tau or a strict perivascular arrangement. Ageing-related tau astrogliopathy was found in all eight cases as a coexisting neuropathology. Traumatic brain injury was associated with increased odds ratio [1.79, confidence interval 1.18–2.72] of having a higher neurofibrillary tangle stage and phosphorylated TAR DNA binding protein 43 (OR 2.48, confidence interval 1.35–4.54). Our study shows a very low rate of chronic traumatic encephalopathy neuropathological change in brains with or without neurodegenerative disease from the Sydney Brain Bank. Our evidence suggests that isolated traumatic brain injury in the general population is unlikely to cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy neuropathologic change but may be associated with increased brain ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather McCann
- Neuroscience Research Australia , Randwick, NSW 2031 , Australia
| | - Anita Y Bahar
- Neuroscience Research Australia , Randwick, NSW 2031 , Australia
| | - Karim Burkhardt
- School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales , Kensington, NSW 2052 , Australia
| | - Andrew J Gardner
- School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle , Callaghan, NSW 2308 , Australia
| | - Glenda M Halliday
- Neuroscience Research Australia , Randwick, NSW 2031 , Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney Brain and Mind Centre , Camperdown, NSW 2050 , Australia
| | - Grant L Iverson
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA 02114 , USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital , Charlestown, MA 02114 , USA
- Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program , Charlestown, MA 02114 , USA
- MassGeneral Hospital for Children Sports Concussion Program , Boston, MA 02114 , USA
| | - Claire E Shepherd
- Neuroscience Research Australia , Randwick, NSW 2031 , Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales , Kensington, NSW 2052 , Australia
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49
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Mohamed AZ, Cumming P, Nasrallah FA. Escalation of Tau Accumulation after a Traumatic Brain Injury: Findings from Positron Emission Tomography. Brain Sci 2022; 12:876. [PMID: 35884683 PMCID: PMC9313362 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12070876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has come to be recognized as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), with poorly understood underlying mechanisms. We hypothesized that a history of TBI would be associated with greater tau deposition in elders with high-risk for dementia. A Groups of 20 participants with self-reported history of TBI and 100 without any such history were scanned using [18F]-AV1451 positron emission tomography as part of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Scans were stratified into four groups according to TBI history, and by clinical dementia rating scores into cognitively normal (CDR = 0) and those showing cognitive decline (CDR ≥ 0.5). We pursued voxel-based group comparison of [18F]-AV1451 uptake to identify the effect of TBI history on brain tau deposition, and for voxel-wise correlation analyses between [18F]-AV1451 uptake and different neuropsychological measures and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers. Compared to the TBI-/CDR ≥ 0.5 group, the TBI+/CDR ≥ 0.5 group showed increased tau deposition in the temporal pole, hippocampus, fusiform gyrus, and inferior and middle temporal gyri. Furthermore, the extent of tau deposition in the brain of those with TBI history positively correlated with the extent of cognitive decline, CSF-tau, and CSF-amyloid. This might suggest TBI to increase the risk for tauopathies and Alzheimer's disease later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdalla Z. Mohamed
- Thompson Institute, University of Sunshine Coast, Birtinya, QLD 4575, Australia;
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Paul Cumming
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Bern University Hospital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland;
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia
| | - Fatima A. Nasrallah
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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50
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Buckland ME, Affleck AJ, Pearce AJ, Suter CM. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy as a Preventable Environmental Disease. Front Neurol 2022; 13:880905. [PMID: 35769361 PMCID: PMC9234108 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.880905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In this Perspective we explore the evolution of our understanding of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and its relationship with repetitive head injury. As with many neurodegenerative conditions, there is an imperfect correspondence between neuropathology and clinical phenotype, but unlike other neurodegenerative diseases, CTE has a discrete and easily modifiable risk factor: exposure to repetitive head injury. Consequently, evaluation of the evidence regarding exposure to repetitive head injury and CTE risk should be undertaken using public or occupational health frameworks of medical knowledge. The current debate over the existence of CTE as a disease of concern is fuelled in part by immediate medico-legal considerations, and the involvement of high-profile athletes, with inevitable media interest. Moving beyond this debate has significant potential to address and reduce disease impact in the near future, and provide novel insights into mechanisms underlying abnormal protein accumulation in CTE and other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E. Buckland
- Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: Michael E. Buckland
| | - Andrew J. Affleck
- Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Alan J. Pearce
- College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Catherine M. Suter
- Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
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