Citation

Shura RD, Taber KH, Brenner LA, Wortzel HS. Curr. Phys. Med. Rehabil. Rep. 2015; 3(2): 106-114.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s40141-015-0089-y

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was initially termed dementia pugilistica, and described among approximately 15 % of professional boxers. In the context of recent high-profile athlete suicides, a surge of scientific literature regarding CTE has focused on football players, other contact sportspersons, and combat Veterans. The aim of this review is to analyze the current literature on CTE, to juxtapose CTE literature with the more abundant research on mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), and to offer recommendations for clinicians working with at-risk patients. Recent CTE research is presented, and mTBI-related epidemiology, neuroimaging, and prognosis research is considered. Differing CTE definitions and methodological limitations of CTE research preclude definitive suppositions about CTE. Additional research will be needed before CTE can be reliably diagnosed in clinical settings. In the meantime, clinical formulations surrounding diagnosis and prognosis might best be informed by the better-developed medical literature on mTBI. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York (Outside the USA).

Language: en

Keywords

Traumatic brain injury; Neuroimaging; Prognosis; Diagnosis; Chronic traumatic encephalopathy