Incidence, pathogenesis, and prevention of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in athletics
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Abstract
Millions of athletes experience concussions every year. Concern over concussions and other head injuries has grown tremendously in recent years, especially in contact sports such as American Football. This concern has led to a large decline in participation in contact sports and a rise in research related to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of head injuries. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease linked to repetitive head injuries and concussions, and in the late 2000’s, a striking study documenting CTE in professional American Football players led to a rash of retirements and parental concern. CTE is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by gross pathological changes, microscopic changes involving tau pathology and neurofibrillary tangles, and symptoms reflecting changes in cognitive function. The primary tool in preventing CTE is preventing head injuries from occurring, and there are no current ways of diagnosing or treating CTE in living individuals. This thesis will focus on the epidemiology, pathology, and prevention & treatment of CTE and reviewing the current literature available.