ABSTRACT
The disease burden of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is quite high; the behavioral/mood symptoms can have significant effects for individuals with CTE and their families. CTE is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disease in which tau proteins accumulate in a distinctive pattern in the brain. The neuropathology of CTE is marked by patchy distributions of tau neurofibrillary tangles. The clinical symptoms of CTE are numerous and include disordered memory and executive functioning, mood disorders, motor neuron disease, suicidality, substance abuse, violent and erratic behavior, impulsivity, personality and behavior changes, poor judgment, early dementia, and premature death. Three primary strategies have been adopted by neurotraumatic sports to address the problem of concussion and CTE: return-to-play protocols, minor rule changes to eliminate certain types of head contact, and changes in training that include reductions in full-contact training. Confirmation of genetic susceptibility to CTE would generate a number of ethical and legal issues.
