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Severe CTE and TDP-43 pathology in a former professional soccer player with dementia: a clinicopathological case report and review of the literature.
- Source :
- Acta Neuropathologica Communications; 5/10/2023, Vol. 11 Issue 1, p1-15, 15p
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- In the last decades, numerous post-mortem case series have documented chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in former contact-sport athletes, though reports of CTE pathology in former soccer players are scarce. This study presents a clinicopathological case of a former professional soccer player with young-onset dementia. The patient experienced early onset progressive cognitive decline and developed dementia in his mid-50 s, after playing soccer for 12 years at a professional level. While the clinical picture mimicked Alzheimer's disease, amyloid PET imaging did not provide evidence of elevated beta-amyloid plaque density. After he died in his mid-60 s, brain autopsy showed severe phosphorylated tau (p-tau) abnormalities fulfilling the neuropathological criteria for high-stage CTE, as well as astrocytic and oligodendroglial tau pathology in terms of tufted astrocytes, thorn-shaped astrocytes, and coiled bodies. Additionally, there were TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) positive cytoplasmic inclusions in the frontal lobe and hippocampus, and Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) positivity in the axons of the white matter. A systematic review of the literature revealed only 13 other soccer players with postmortem diagnosis of CTE. Our report illustrates the complex clinicopathological correlation of CTE and the need for disease-specific biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20515960
- Volume :
- 11
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Acta Neuropathologica Communications
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 163635012
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s40478-023-01572-3