Regular Research ArticlePET Scanning of Brain Tau in Retired National Football League Players: Preliminary Findings
Section snippets
Methods
Neuropsychiatric evaluations were performed on five retired players aged 45 years or older who were recruited for this study because of a history of cognitive or mood symptoms. Through organizational contacts, NFL retirees with MCI-like symptoms were referred for testing. Of the 19 potential volunteers, 14 did not participate because of non-response or disinterest (N = 10), age (too young; N = 2), or medical illness (N = 2).
Subjects had screening laboratory tests and structural imaging scans
Results
The players represented a range of positions and diagnoses (linebacker with MCI; quarterback with normal aging; guard with dementia/depression; defensive lineman with MCI/depression; center with MCI) and played professionally from 10–16 (median, 14) years (Fig. 1). Players and controls were comparable in age (median age for players [controls]: 59 [60]; range: 45–73 [45–66], BMI (players [controls]: 32 [34], 28–42 [28–38]), years of education (players [controls]: 17 [15], 15–18 [13–22]), race (4
Discussion
These initial FDDNP-PET findings in retired NFL players with histories of cognitive and mood symptoms demonstrate high signals in the amygdala and subcortical regions compared with controls. Although the subject groups were matched for important variables, such as age, BMI, and educational achievement, these preliminary results need interpretation with caution given the small sample size and multiple uncorrected statistical comparisons. Also, not all subjects had MRI scans for co-registration
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