Some of the possible signs and symptoms of CTE may include:
- Difficulty thinking (cognitive impairment)
- Impulsive behavior
- Depression or apathy
- Short-term memory loss
- Difficulty planning and carrying out tasks (executive function)
- Emotional instability
- Substance abuse
- Suicidal thoughts or behavior
Other suspected symptoms may include:
- Speech and language difficulties
- Motor impairment, such as difficulty walking, tremor, loss of muscle movement, weakness or rigidity
- Trouble swallowing (dysphagia)
- Vision and focusing problems
- Trouble with sense of smell (olfactory abnormalities)
The full list of symptoms of people with CTE at autopsy is still unknown. It is unclear what kind of symptoms, if any, it may cause. Little is known right now about how CTE progresses.
When to see a doctor
CTE is thought to develop over many years after repeated brain injuries (mild or severe). However, see your doctor in case of the following:
April 20, 2016
- Suicidal thoughts. Research shows that people with CTE may be at increased risk of suicide. If you have thoughts of hurting yourself, call 911, your local emergency number or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255).
- Head injury. See your doctor if you have had a head injury, even if you didn't need emergency care. If your child has received a head injury that concerns you, call your child's doctor immediately. Depending on the signs and symptoms, your doctor may recommend seeking immediate medical care.
- Memory problems. See your doctor if you have concerns about your memory or other thinking (cognitive) or behavior problems.
- Personality or mood changes. See your doctor if depression, anxiety, aggression or impulsivity occur.
- McKee AC, et al. The spectrum of disease in chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Brain. 2013:136;43.
- Evans RW. Concussion and mild traumatic brain injury. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Jan. 29, 2016.
- Concussion: Mayo's multidisciplinary approach. Mayo Clinic Neuroscience Update. 2013;10:2.
- Malec JF, et al. The Mayo classification system for traumatic brain injury severity. Journal of Neurotrauma. 2007;24:1417.
- Small GW, et al. PET scanning of brain tau in retired national football league players: Preliminary findings. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2013;21:138.
- Daroff RB, et al., eds. Frontal lobes. In: Encyclopedia of the Neurological Sciences. 2nd ed. Waltham, Mass.: Academic Press/Elsevier; 2014.
- Chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Alzheimer's Association. http://www.alz.org/dementia/chronic-traumatic-encephalopathy-cte-symptoms.asp#symptoms. Accessed Feb. 1, 2016.
- Yi J, et al. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2013;12:28.
- Goldstein LE, et al. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy in blast-exposed military veterans and a blast neurotrauma mouse model. Science Translational Medicine.2012;4:1.
- Concussion: A fact sheet for coaches. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/health_safety/ConFactSheetcoaches.pdf. Accessed Feb. 3, 2016.
- Heads up: Concussion in youth sports. A fact sheet for Coaches. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/headsup/youthsports/coach.html. Accessed Feb. 3, 2016.
- McCrory P, et al. Consensus statement on concussion in sport: The 4th international conference on concussion in sport held in Zurich, November 2012. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 2013;216:e55.
- Concussion: What can I do to feel better after a concussion? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/feel_better.html. Accessed Feb. 3, 2016.
- Lakis N, et al. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy — Neuropathology in athletes and war veterans. Neurological Research. 2013;35:290.
- Stein TD, et al. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy: A spectrum of neuropathological changes following repetitive brain trauma in athletes and military personnel. Alzheimer's Research & Therapy. 2014;6:4.
- Report on the neuropathology of chronic traumatic encephalopathy workshop. National Institutes of Health. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/proceedings/201212_CTE_workshop_report.htm. Accessed Feb. 3, 2016.
- Hart J Jr, et al. Neuroimaging of cognitive dysfunction and depression in aging retired national football league players. JAMA Neurology. 2013;70:326.
- DeKosky ST, et al. Acute and chronic traumatic encephalopathies: Pathogenesis and biomarkers. Nature Reviews Neurology. 2013;9:192.
- Gavett BE, et al. Clinical appraisal of chronic traumatic encephalopathy: Current perspectives and future directions. Current Opinion in Neurology. 2011;24:525.
- Mez J, et al. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy: Where are we and where are we going? Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports. 2013;13:407.
- Home. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org. Accessed Feb. 1, 2016.
- Baugh CM, et al. Current understanding of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Current Treatment Options in Neurology. 2014;16:306.
- Iverson GL, et al. A critical review of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 2015;56:276.
- Caregiver's guide to understanding dementia behaviors. Family Caregiver Alliance. https://www.caregiver.org/caregivers-guide-understanding-dementia-behaviors. Accessed Feb. 1, 2016.
- Traumatic brain injury. Family Caregiver Alliance. https://www.caregiver.org/traumatic-brain-injury. Accessed Feb. 1, 2016.
- Abreu MA, et al. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and former National Football League player suicides. The Sport Journal. Jan. 29, 2016. http://thesportjournal.org/article/chronic-traumatic-encephalopathy-cte-and-former-national-football-league-player-suicides/. Accessed Jan. 29, 2016.
- Bieniek KF, et al. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy pathology in a neurodegenerative disorders brain bank. Acta Neuropathology. 2015;130:877.
- McKee AC, et al. The first NINDS/NIBIB consensus meeting to define neuropathological criteria for the diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Acta Neuropathology. 2016;131:75.
- Savica R, et al. High school football and risk of neurodegeneration: A community-based study. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2012;87:335.
- Brown AW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 18, 2016.
- Mielke MM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 18, 2016.
- Savica R (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 18, 2016.
- Graff-Radford J (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 18, 2016.
- Boeve BF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 25, 2016.