Chronic traumatic encephalopathy: neuroimaging biomarkers

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Radiology

Background:

• Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated head trauma, common in contact sports.
• Current CTE diagnosis relies solely on postmortem neuropathological examination, hindering early intervention.
• Developing noninvasive in vivo biomarkers is crucial for earlier CTE diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review neuroimaging studies investigating potential biomarkers for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
• To focus on neuroimaging findings in the chronic stages of sports-related brain injury.
• To highlight the role of advanced imaging in understanding CTE pathophysiology.

Main Methods:

• Review of studies employing positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy.
• Focus on research examining chronic effects of repetitive head impacts in contact/collision sports.
• Inclusion of studies reporting on American football, boxing, mixed martial arts, rugby, and soccer.

Main Results:

• Neuroimaging techniques show promise as in vivo biomarkers for CTE diagnosis.
• Specific imaging modalities may reveal pathophysiological changes associated with chronic repetitive head impacts.
• Further research is needed to validate these imaging biomarkers for clinical use.

Conclusions:

• Neuroimaging offers a potential pathway for early, noninvasive diagnosis of CTE.
• Understanding chronic brain injury through advanced imaging is key to managing CTE.
• Developing reliable neuroimaging biomarkers could revolutionize CTE patient care.