Disease in Athletes May Affect Memory, Mood, and Behavior

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Disease in Athletes May Affect Memory, Mood, and Behavior

– Reported, August 27, 2013

 

(Ivanhoe Newswire) –A new study at Boston University School of Medicine suggests that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease associated with repeat brain trauma including concussions in athletes, may initially affect mood or behavior or initially affect memory and thinking abilities.

For the study, researchers observed the brains of 36 male athletes, ages 17 to 98, diagnosed with CTE after death. Most of the athletes played amateur or professional football, while the rest participated in wrestling, hockey, or boxing.

Researchers found a total of 22 athletes had mood and behavior problems as their first symptoms of CTE, and 11 had memory and thinking problems as their first symptoms. The group that experienced mood symptoms was more explosive, out of control, verbally and physically violent, and depressed. Study author Robert A. Stern, PhD, a professor of neurology and neurosurgery, noted that the findings should be viewed with caution, as there was no comparison group of former athletes without CTE in the study.

 

For more information, go to: http://neurology.org/

SOURCE: Neurology, August 2013