Scientists claim they have confirmed evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in a living patient for the first time, a potential breakthrough in the research of the progressive degenerative brain disease that’s been linked to repeated blows to the head.
A peer-reviewed study published in the medical journal Neurosurgery found the presence of tau, a signature protein of CTE that forms around damaged neural cells, in 14 retired NFL players who underwent experimental brain scans. Doctors confirmed a diagnosis of CTE in one of the players, who is unnamed in the paper, after he died.
To date, doctors have only been able to make posthumous diagnoses of CTE, which has been associated with symptoms such as memory loss, depression and dementia.
Dr Bennet Omalu, the lead author of the study, told CNN the subject unnamed in the study was former NFL player Fred McNeill, a longtime Minnesota Vikings linebacker who died of ALS in 2015 aged 63.
The paper says the subject played football for 22 years, including 12 in the NFL, and began attending law school during his final NFL season, adding that he had only one reported concussion throughout his career, suffered while he was in college.
After graduating from law school, he practiced law at one firm before moving to another where he made partner, but was dismissed within four years for lack of performance. That pattern repeated at least twice more before he stopped practicing law and filed for bankruptcy.
Around the time he underwent the experimental brain scan at 59, he was exhibiting behaviors consistent with known CTE symptoms, including impaired motor skills that deteriorated until he could no longer feed himself.
you can read the rest here Ex-NFL player confirmed as first case of CTE found in living person – researchers
A peer-reviewed study published in the medical journal Neurosurgery found the presence of tau, a signature protein of CTE that forms around damaged neural cells, in 14 retired NFL players who underwent experimental brain scans. Doctors confirmed a diagnosis of CTE in one of the players, who is unnamed in the paper, after he died.
To date, doctors have only been able to make posthumous diagnoses of CTE, which has been associated with symptoms such as memory loss, depression and dementia.
Dr Bennet Omalu, the lead author of the study, told CNN the subject unnamed in the study was former NFL player Fred McNeill, a longtime Minnesota Vikings linebacker who died of ALS in 2015 aged 63.
The paper says the subject played football for 22 years, including 12 in the NFL, and began attending law school during his final NFL season, adding that he had only one reported concussion throughout his career, suffered while he was in college.
After graduating from law school, he practiced law at one firm before moving to another where he made partner, but was dismissed within four years for lack of performance. That pattern repeated at least twice more before he stopped practicing law and filed for bankruptcy.
Around the time he underwent the experimental brain scan at 59, he was exhibiting behaviors consistent with known CTE symptoms, including impaired motor skills that deteriorated until he could no longer feed himself.
you can read the rest here Ex-NFL player confirmed as first case of CTE found in living person – researchers
Shyt bout to get ugly my dudes
