Citation

Martínez-Pérez R, Paredes I, Munarriz PM, Paredes B, Alén JF. Neurologia 2014; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Vernacular Title

Encefalopatía crónica postraumática: aquella gran desconocida.

Affiliation

Servicio de Neurocirugía, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, España; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, España.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Sociedad Española de Neurología, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.nrl.2014.08.009

PMID

25534950

Abstract

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a neurodegenerative disease produced by accumulated minor traumatic brain injuries; no definitive premortem diagnosis and no treatments are available for chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Risk factors associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy include playing contact sports, presence of the apolipoprotein E4, and old age. Although it shares certain histopathological findings with Alzheimer disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy has a more specific presentation (hyperphosphorylated tau protein deposited as neurofibrillary tangles, associated with neuropil threads and sometimes with beta-amyloid plaques). Its clinical presentation is insidious; patients show mild cognitive and emotional symptoms before progressing to parkinsonian motor signs and finally dementia.

RESULTS from new experimental diagnostic tools are promising, but these tools are not yet available. The mainstay of managing this disease is prevention and early detection of its first symptoms.

Language: es