The Neurobiology and Impact of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Athletes: A Focused Review

Recent reports have highlighted a troubling pattern of athletes exhibiting pronounced and unexplained behavioral changes. This phenomenon is often linked to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder associated with repeated head injuries in contact sports. The term “Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy” was coined by Dr. Bennet I. Omalu to describe the condition distinguished by the accumulation of abnormal tau protein in the brain. This paper provides a focused overview of the neurological and neurobehavioral mechanisms, prevention and treatments, and the role of animal models in advancing our understanding of CTE. Key findings have identified the accumulation of tau proteins and neuroinflammation as major contributing factors in the development of CTE. However, gaps in the literature remain, including the need for standardized injury models and biomarkers for diagnosing CTE in living individuals, pointing to future directions in refining diagnostic tools and developing targeted therapeutic interventions.