Neuropsychological and Cognitive Profile of Retired Filipino Boxers

Repetitive brain trauma from boxing may lead to progressive neurological deterioration producing memory disorders, behavioral and personality changes, and gait abnormalities; chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) being associated with these.1 Three stages of clinical deterioration in CTE are discussed in a review by Mckee et al.2 Affective disturbances and psychotic features demonstrate the first stage. The second stage shows social instability, erratic behavior, memory loss, and initial symptoms of Parkinson disease. The third stage has progressive cognitive dysfunction leading to dementia, full-blown Parkinsonism, speech and gait abnormalities. Furthermore, it reported that personality or behavior changes were seen in 65% of individuals with neuropathological evidence of CTE, which includes aggression or violence in 70%, confusion in 55%, dysphoria in 48%, paranoia in 42%, irritability in 39%, agitation in 24%, apathy in 9% and hypersexuality in 3%.