{"id":237329,"date":"2024-02-23T17:40:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-23T22:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=237329"},"modified":"2024-08-19T10:46:19","modified_gmt":"2024-08-19T14:46:19","slug":"new-study-could-help-diagnose-cte-before-death","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/articles\/2024\/new-study-could-help-diagnose-cte-before-death\/","title":{"rendered":"New Study Could Help Diagnose CTE Before Death"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin sphnews-block-editorial-leadin is-style-text-over-image has-media has-box has-media-focus-center-middle has-text-position-x-right has-text-position-y-bottom has-dark-theme\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2189\" height=\"1320\" src=\"\/sph\/files\/2024\/02\/cte-protein.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"The running back dives for the first down with the defender on his back.\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2024\/02\/cte-protein.jpg 2189w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2024\/02\/cte-protein-636x384.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2024\/02\/cte-protein-1024x617.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2024\/02\/cte-protein-768x463.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2024\/02\/cte-protein-1536x926.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2024\/02\/cte-protein-2048x1235.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2024\/02\/cte-protein-755x455.jpg 755w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2024\/02\/cte-protein-1628x982.jpg 1628w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2024\/02\/cte-protein-900x543.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2024\/02\/cte-protein-1920x1158.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2024\/02\/cte-protein-1200x724.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2189px) 100vw, 2189px\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner has-opacity-80\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-prepress-tag\">CTE<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNew Study Could Help Diagnose CTE Before Death\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"deck\">The new findings include data that could\u00a0make it easier for researchers to diagnose the neurodegenerative disease during life.<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar sphnews-prepress-layout-metabar\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">February 23, 2024<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/authors\/jillian-mckoy\/\">Jillian McKoy<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<p>Clinical knowledge about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) has come a long way, but there is still much to learn about this neurodegenerative disorder caused by repeated head injuries over time. While doctors have identified&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/pittsburgh\/news\/former-kdka-tv-jon-burnett-suspected-cte-diagnosis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">suspected<\/a> CTE cases in patients while they are alive, the disease can only be fully confirmed through an autopsy after death.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But now, a new study coauthored by School of Public Health researchers at Boston University\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cte\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CTE Center<\/a> provides the most definitive data to date that links CTE pathology to symptoms patients experience during life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/molecularneurodegeneration.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s13024-023-00697-2\" target=\"_blank\">Published in the journal&nbsp;<em>Molecular Neurodegeneration<\/em><\/a>, the first-of-its-kind study connects cognitive, behavioral, and functional symptoms to the disease, which is characterized by a buildup of a protein called p-tau in several areas of the brain. The study quantified the amount of p-tau that accumulated in the brain of deceased athletes and found that higher amounts of this protein were associated with more severe symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe fact that we show a&nbsp;clear dose-response relationship between the amount of CTE pathology and the severity of cognitive and functional symptoms, brings us one step closer to being able to diagnose the disease in the living,\u201d says study coauthor&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/profile\/yorghos-tripodis\/\">Yorghos Tripodis<\/a>, professor of biostatistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories is-style-list alignright sphnews-block-editorial-relatedstories\">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-title\">Related<\/h3>\n\t\t<ul class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehastingscenter.org\/spongebob-slime-and-brain-injuries-a-dangerous-combination-for-kids\/\" class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title-link\">SpongeBob, Slime, and Brain Injuries: A Dangerous Combination for Kids<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-date\">February 8, 2024<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p>For the analysis, CTE Center researchers from SPH and Boston University Chobanian &amp; Avedisian School of Medicine measured&nbsp;the amount of p-tau pathology across 11 brain regions in 364 brains from donors with autopsy-confirmed CTE. The team also interviewed family and friends of the brain donors about their loved one\u2019s cognitive, functional, mood, and behavioral symptoms, and asked them to rate these symptoms in standardized assessments. Then they examined the relationship between the p-tau pathology and the symptom levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The researchers found that the amount of p-tau pathology across the brain, predominantly in the frontal lobe, was associated with more cognitive and functional symptoms. The amount of p-tau pathology in the frontal lobe was also associated with more neurobehavioral symptoms, but they observed a higher correlation with cognitive symptoms.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With these results, researchers inch closer to building criteria for doctors to utilize, with the hope of being able to fully diagnose CTE in patients while they are still alive.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although anyone with repeated brain trauma can develop the disease, CTE is primarily associated with athletes who play American football and other high-contact sports. The risks associated with this disease <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Health\/wireStory\/children-playing-tackle-football-despite-brain-risks-107342999\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">continue to raise<\/a> ethical and safety questions around the measures that should be taken to protect the health and well-being of recreational, budding, and professional athletes of all ages.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The study\u2019s senior and corresponding author is&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cte\/about\/leadership\/jesse-mez-m-d\/\" target=\"_blank\">Jesse Mez<\/a>, co-director of clinical research at the CTE Center and associate professor of neurology at the Chobanian &amp; Avedisian School of Medicine. At SPH, coauthors also include doctoral student Eukyung Yang; alum Zachary Baucom; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/profile\/brett-martin\/\">Brett Martin<\/a>, statistical manager at the Biostatistics &amp; Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC); and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/profile\/joseph-palmisano\/\">Joseph Palmisano<\/a>, associate director of data management for BEDAC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-editorial-aside sphnews-block-editorial-aside\">\n<h3 class=\"has-text-align-center\">BU CTE Center<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Please visit the Center&#8217;s website if interested in participating in a research study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background has-vivid-purple-background-color\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cte\/\" style=\"color:#ffffff\">Learn more<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Clinical knowledge about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) has come a long way, but there is still much to learn about this neurodegenerative disorder caused by repeated head injuries over time. While doctors have identified&nbsp;suspected CTE cases in patients while they are alive, the disease can only be fully confirmed through an autopsy after death.&nbsp; But [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15205,"featured_media":237333,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"bu_prepress_billboard":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term":"CTE","_bu_prepress_primary_term_manual":""},"tags":[2478,2483,3887],"bu-publication":[3516],"sphnews-article-category":[3519,3521,3522,3531,3540],"sphnews-topic":[],"bu_edition":[],"media_type":[],"profile_tax":[237],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/237329"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bu-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15205"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=237329"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/237329\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":244142,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/237329\/revisions\/244142"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/237333"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=237329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=237329"},{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=237329"},{"taxonomy":"sphnews-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sphnews-article-category?post=237329"},{"taxonomy":"sphnews-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sphnews-topic?post=237329"},{"taxonomy":"bu_edition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu_edition?post=237329"},{"taxonomy":"media_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_type?post=237329"},{"taxonomy":"profile_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/profile_tax?post=237329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}