Summary: A new study reveals head impact, not concussion, triggers CTE. The discovery could help with early detection and treatments for the neurodegenerative disorder.
Researchers have identified evidence of early Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) brain pathology after head impact–even in the absence of signs of concussion. Early indicators of CTE pathology not only persisted long after injury but also spread through the brain, providing the best evidence to date that head impact, not concussion, causes CTE.
Brain, Volume 141, Issue 2, 1 February 2018, Pages 422– 458
Published: 18 January 2018
Title: Concussion, Microvascular Injury, And Early Tauopathy In Young Athletes After Impact Head Injury And An Impact Concussion Mouse Model