The researchers hope to be able to approach the mystery in the way of diagnosing the CTE in the living.
The Boston University CTE Center and other research centers received a NIH grant of $ 15 million to diagnose CTE during life, while scientists recruit hundreds of former football players for the new study.
The former NFL quarter-back, Matt Hasselbeck, is among the first to register for “the CTE Project-II research diagnosis”.
“As a former NFL player, I know that I am at risk of CTE, but at the moment, I am blessed to feel healthy,” said Hasselbeck, three times professional professional during his 18 -season career.
“As a former quarter-arre, I choose to volunteer to diagnose CTE II to honor my teammates, especially those who blocked for me and took success to the head, so I did not have to do so,” he added. “I encourage former college and professionals football players at 50 and over to join me to register for the study to help researchers learn to diagnose and treat CTE.”
At present, the CTE can be definitively diagnosed after death after an autopsy.
Study researchers will examine new disease biomarkers to help doctors diagnose chronic gradual chronic traumatic encephalopathy in living patients.
Scientists are also trying to learn to differentiate CTE from similar diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
“This study will create unprecedented data sets necessary to accurately diagnose the CTE during life,” said Michael Alosco, an associate professor of neurology at the Chobanian & Avedisian medical school at the University of Boston.
“It will fulfill two missing links in the literature preventing us from developing final diagnostic criteria for CTE during life,” added Alosco. “First, we need longitudinal studies that include the gift of the brain. Second, we must better compare people at risk of CTE to other groups of diseases. ”
Although this study only studies male football players, the researchers said that the results will benefit all CTE risk groups – including male and female contact athletes and military veterans.
The study will examine new potential biomarkers using blood and brain imaging to help doctors accurately diagnose the CTE in living patients.
Participants register for one of the five research centers on Alzheimer’s disease funded by NIA to complete neurological, cognitive and neuropsychiatric examinations, multimodal cerebral imaging, Tau TEP imaging and blood samples.
Information will be analyzed to characterize the specific signs, symptoms and biomarkers for people at risk of CTE. Travel support for participants is provided.
Chris Nowinski and the inheritance foundation will conduct recruitment efforts. Robert Turner, an associate professor at Duke University, will help recruitment by focusing on sub-studied groups.
The CTE Research Project-II diagnosis will recruit 350 men, aged 50 and over, including 225 former university and professional football players, 75 control participants and 50 people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Former football players, as well as men who have no history of collision contacts and sports, who are interested in participating, are encouraged to register in the Corfresearch.org’s convenience research register.
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