A recent study brings to light a rarely-documented condition among professional soccer players, underscoring the need for more targeted biomarkers and extensive research. The case centres on a former soccer player, diagnosed posthumously with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disease often tied to contact sports.
Principal Discoveries
- Early Onset Dementia: The subject of the study, a former professional soccer player, exhibited progressive cognitive decline starting in his early 50s and was diagnosed with dementia by his mid-50s, after a 12-year professional soccer career.
- Alzheimer’s Disease-like Symptoms: The patient’s clinical symptoms bore a striking resemblance to those of Alzheimer’s disease. Nonetheless, PET imaging didn’t display elevated beta-amyloid plaque, an attribute typical of Alzheimer’s.
- Post-mortem Diagnosis of Advanced CTE: The post-mortem examination uncovered severe phosphorylated tau (p-tau) abnormalities, indicative of high-stage CTE. Additionally, astrocytic and oligodendroglial tau pathology was evident in the form of tufted astrocytes, thorn-shaped astrocytes, and coiled bodies.
- Additional Neuropathological Findings: The autopsy noted TDP-43 positive cytoplasmic inclusions in the frontal lobe and hippocampus, along with Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) positivity in the axons of the white matter.
- Uncommon among Soccer Players: A comprehensive literature review identified only 13 other soccer players with a post-mortem CTE diagnosis, highlighting the uncommonness of CTE documentation in this cohort.
This study not only broadens the understanding of CTE beyond contact sports typically linked with the condition but also underscores the difficulty of diagnosing CTE due to its Alzheimer’s disease-like symptoms. It emphasizes the urgent requirement for disease-specific biomarkers to assist in early detection and prevention of this neurodegenerative disease.
Progress in this domain may enhance the comprehension, diagnosis, and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases in athletes, ensuring their wellbeing during and post their professional careers. The ongoing conversation and collaborative efforts can pave the way towards better understanding of brain health in sports.
