Spinal Cord Tau and Protein Copathologies Associated With Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Exposure to repetitive head impacts (RHI) is associated with increased risk of a range of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, while the protein pathologies in the brains of individuals with the RHI-associated pathology of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) are well described, the spinal cord pathology in at-risk individuals remains poorly understood.

Objective

To evaluate spinal cord pathologies associated with RHI exposure or CTE neuropathologic change (CTE-NC) in the brain.

Design, setting, and participants

This case-control study of a retrospective autopsy series (June 2019 to August 2025) was performed among autopsied individuals who served as RHI-exposed cases or controls in a multicen

SUBMITTER: Tanaka H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12836280 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature