Citation

Alosco ML, Tripodis Y, Fritts NG, Heslegrave A, Baugh CM, Conneely S, Mariani M, Martin BM, Frank S, Mez J, Stein TD, Cantu RC, McKee AC, Shaw LM, Trojanowski JQ, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Stern RA. Alzheimers Dement. 2018; 14(9): 1159-1170.

Affiliation

Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Center and Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: bobstern@bu.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Alzheimer's Association, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jalz.2018.05.004

PMID

30049650

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein analysis may facilitate detection and elucidate mechanisms of neurological consequences from repetitive head impacts (RHI), such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. We examined CSF concentrations of total tau (t-tau), phosphorylated tau, and amyloid β_1-42 and their association with RHI in former National Football League (NFL) players. The role of microglial activation (using sTREM2) was examined as a pathogenic mechanism of chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

METHODS: Sixty-eight former NFL players and 21 controls underwent lumbar puncture to quantify t-tau, p-tau₁₈₁, amyloid β_1-42, and sTREM2 in the CSF using immunoassays. The cumulative head impact index estimated RHI.

RESULTS: No between-group differences for CSF analytes emerged. In the former NFL players, the cumulative head impact index predicted higher t-tau concentrations (P = .041), and higher sTREM2 levels were associated with higher t-tau concentrations (P = .009).

DISCUSSION: In this sample of former NFL players, greater RHI and increased microglial activation were associated with higher CSF t-tau concentrations.

Copyright © 2018 the Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Alzheimer's disease; Aβ; Cerebrospinal fluid; Chronic traumatic encephalopathy; Concussion; Microglial activation; Repetitive head impacts; Subconcussive; sTREM2