Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a disease that has been exhibited in hundreds of athletes who have incurred repeated blows to the head, throughout their careers in contact and combat sports. CTE causes parts of the brain to slowly die, resulting in issues such as memory loss, depression, dementia, and increased suicidality.
The damage to the brain is caused by a protein named pTau. It was previously thought that this protein was released inside the brain, in greater amounts than what occurs naturally, when concussion symptoms are experienced.
However, a new study by the Boston University School of Medicine and College of Engineering, suggests that the process that culminates in CTE does not require any concussion symptoms at all.