CHRONIC TRAUMATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY

Doctors and healthcare professionals are becoming more aware of the growing need to provide clinical intervention to people living with suspected or probable Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).  Clinical consideration of suspected or probable CTE may be important in guiding appropriate and necessary investigations, treatment planning and patient-centred care. 

At present, a definitive diagnosis of CTE cannot be made in a living individual. Confirmation is currently only possible following death through specialised neuropathological examination. While clinical assessment may identify signs and symptoms that are consistent with or suggestive of CTE, these features are not sufficiently specific to establish a conclusive diagnosis during life. However, clinically it is important to determine if an individual is presenting with evidence of a degenerative brain disease with clinical features of cognitive impairment, neurobehavioral dysregulation and progressive course. The evidence to support this intervention which is available from: 

1. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Consensus Diagnostic Criteria for Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome - PMC.   
2.  CTE neuropathology alone is associated with dementia and cognitive symptoms - Layden - 2026 - Alzheimer's & Dementia - Wiley Online Library 

From the research - the criteria for Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome (TES) is stepped out. The purpose was "new consensus diagnostic criteria for TES were developed with a primary goal of facilitating future CTE research." 1