Understanding CTE Through Recent Events

This summer, a tragic incident in a midtown Manhattan high-rise highlighted our limited understanding of a severe brain condition often linked to NFL players—one that can only be confirmed after death.

The shooter, Shane Tamra, targeted the NFL’s Park Avenue headquarters, resulting in the deaths of NYPD officer Didarul Islam and three others, before taking his own life. In his suicide note, he expressed feeling “mentally destroyed” by chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which he attributed to numerous head injuries sustained while playing soccer.

Though Tamra had not played since high school, the New York City chief medical examiner recently reported finding “clear diagnostic evidence” of CTE in his brain. This degenerative disease is known for its potential to cause mood swings, suicidal tendencies, and dementia.

However, experts remind us that finding CTE does not definitively indicate it was the cause of the violence. “That could be a factor. But was this strictly because this gentleman had CTE? Probably not,” noted Dr. Brent Maskell, a neurology professor, pointing out that brain abnormalities seen in autopsies don’t always correlate with behavioral symptoms.

The impacts of CTE can be incredibly varied. Some individuals experience severe anxiety and memory loss without ever showing aggression, while others may have sudden, unexplained bursts of anger.

Molly, a woman from the West Coast, shared her experience with her husband, diagnosed with possible stage 2 CTE. “Sometimes he gets really short-tempered and volatile,” she explained. With young children in the house, she navigates their father’s condition by telling them, “Dad has a headache. He’s not feeling well, so let’s give him some space.”

Molly mentioned her own history of concussions from high school football and wrestling, noting that she had lost count of how many she had sustained. When her husband began showing concerning signs, she prompted him to seek medical help, which led to a diagnosis at the age of 19.

The couple had just watched the movie “Concussion,” which covers Dr. Bennet Omalu’s fight to make CTE known in the NFL. Her husband was emotional after seeing it because it resonated deeply with his own experiences.

Eleanor Perfetto faces a similar situation. Her late husband, Ralph Wenzel, endured a string of concussions during his eight years in the NFL and was diagnosed with early-onset dementia in his fifties. By the time he passed away in 2012, he was unable to care for himself and a subsequent examination confirmed he had CTE. Wenzel’s journey brought more awareness to the long-term dangers of brain injuries in football, particularly as little was known in the past.

“In the ’90s, we were aware something was wrong, but we didn’t know it was CTE,” Perfetto explained.

Research into CTE remains challenging. Currently, definitive diagnosis requires examining the brains of deceased individuals. Dr. Michael Arosco from Boston University is working to change this, thanks to a substantial grant for research aimed at identifying biomarkers that could help diagnose CTE in living patients.

Certain biomarkers are already useful for identifying conditions like Alzheimer’s, and researchers are hopeful to initiate a test for CTE as well. Collaborating with Canada’s Center for Brain Health Imaging, they aim to utilize advanced imaging techniques to look for signs of the disease while individuals are still alive.

“If we can detect CTE in a living human brain at an early stage,” Dr. Neil Vasudev remarked, “it could allow for preventive measures and treatment options.”

Molly remains optimistic that increased awareness will follow. “People often disregard invisible illnesses,” she noted, suggesting that public understanding may shift once it becomes possible to detect CTE in living individuals.

She clarified that this disease impacts not just the person diagnosed but their entire family. Early diagnosis, she stated, could help families make necessary future plans.

But even with advancements, challenges remain. “Testing identifies the problem, but then the questions arise: ‘Now what?'” urged Dr. Shay Dutta, co-director of the Concussion Center at NYU Langone.

Molly is understandably worried about her family’s future, pondering questions like if things might worsen over time, struggling with past arguments that stem from his condition. “There’s definitely going to be fights,” she reflects, acknowledging the burden of her husband’s memory issues.

The Boston University CTE Center, established in 2008, houses the world’s largest brain bank dedicated to studying CTE. This repository is essential for comprehending the disease, which presents a specific pattern of tau protein tangles in the brain leading to memory and impulse control problems.

While knowledge of CTE has grown, experts like Vasudev stress the need for more comprehensive studies, particularly including both genders, as every head injury affects individuals differently.

With a surge of attention towards CTE over the last decade, the NFL has revised its injury protocols. Lives have been altered, as evidenced by the recent cases of prominent players suffering on-field concussions.

Looking ahead, researchers anticipate significant advancements in diagnostic technologies within the next five years, which could pave the way for effective treatments.

Perfetto, who witnessed the toll CTE took on her husband, remains hopeful. “I cherish the memories of the happier times we had together,” she shares, emphasizing the importance of those moments amidst the struggles brought on by the disease.