Scientists find blood biomarker that opens door to CTE diagnosis in living patients
Summary
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine found that a blood protein fragment called eMTBR-tau243 was elevated in 11 people with CTE confirmed after death. The test distinguished advanced CTE from healthy people in this small study, but it did not reliably detect early disease and is not validated for diagnosis.Key Facts
- CTE is linked to repeated head impacts and can currently be confirmed only by examining brain tissue after death.
- The researchers measured the blood marker eMTBR-tau243 in 11 people whose CTE was confirmed at autopsy.
- Marker levels were higher than in healthy people and increased with CTE severity.
- The test could identify advanced CTE with high accuracy in the study but could not reliably identify early-stage CTE.
- The marker is also elevated in Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions involving tau protein buildup.
- Researchers say larger studies are needed before clinicians can use the test to diagnose CTE.
- A recent study of nearly 400 deceased NFL players whose brains were donated for examination found evidence of CTE in 93.5%.
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