Study Results
The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.
Basic Information
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COMPLETED
240 participants
OBSERVATIONAL
2016-08-31
2023-11-15
Brief Summary
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Detailed Description
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Neuroimaging and fluid biomarkers developed for the diagnosis of other neurodegenerative diseases have only been used in preliminary studies of individuals at high risk for CTE, namely athletes with histories of significant exposure to repetitive head impacts (RHI), such as former football players and boxers. There is thus an urgent need to develop accurate methods for detecting and diagnosing CTE during life so that effective interventions for prevention and treatment can be developed. Moreover, though a history of RHI is a necessary risk factor for CTE, it alone is not sufficient. There is a need to understand what specific aspects of RHI exposure places an individual at increased risk for CTE and to examine potential genetic polymorphisms that modify that risk.
To address these needs, the investigators are conducting a multidisciplinary, multicenter, longitudinal study of former NFL and varsity college football players (with and without symptoms), and a control group of asymptomatic same-age men without any history of RHI exposure, traumatic brain injury or military service. Subjects will be seen at 1 of 4 participating study sites in Boston; Las Vegas, ; New York; and Scottsdale/Phoenix . Subjects will undergo a baseline evaluation and a 3 year follow-up evaluation (currently former college players will not complete the follow-up evaluation). Each evaluation will be take place over a 3 day period and consist of the following procedures/tests: neurocognitive testing, determination of functional independence, neuropsychiatric examination (with measures of mood and behavior), neurological assessment (motor, headache, postural stability), neuroimaging (including structural, diffusion, functional, biochemical, and molecular imaging), lumbar punctures (for Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) biomarkers), blood draws (for blood biomarkers and DNA), and saliva samples (for biomarkers).
Conditions
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Study Design
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COHORT
PROSPECTIVE
Study Groups
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Former NFL Players
120 former National Football League players with and without reported cognitive, mood and behavior symptoms will be enrolled in this study.
No interventions assigned to this group
Former College Football Players
60 former college football players with and without reported cognitive, mood and behavior symptoms will be enrolled in this study.
No interventions assigned to this group
Control Group
60 asymptomatic same-age men without any history of participation in contact sports, military service, or traumatic brain injury will be enrolled in this study.
No interventions assigned to this group
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* English as primary language
* No MRI or Lumbar Puncture (LP) contraindications
* Have played ≥12 years of organized football (including =\>3 in college and =\>3 seasons in the NFL)
* Must have played one of following positions offensive lineman, defensive lineman, linebacker, tight end, wide receiver, running back, or defensive back.
* Agree to provide name and contact information of a study partner who will complete questionnaires regarding subject's mood, behavior, thinking and cognitive function should the subject enroll in the study.
Former Collegiate Football Players
* English as primary language
* No MRI or Lumbar Puncture (LP) contraindications
* Must have played =\>6 years of organized football (with =\> 3 years at the college level, but no organized football or other contact sport following college.)
* Must have played one of following positions offensive lineman, defensive lineman, linebacker, tight end, wide receiver, running back, or defensive back.
* No military service
* Agree to provide name and contact information of a study partner who will complete questionnaires regarding subject's mood, behavior, thinking and cognitive function should the subject enroll in the study.
Control Group
* English as primary language
* No MRI or Lumbar Puncture (LP) contraindications
* No history of organized contact sports or known traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or moderate/severe concussions
* No history of participation in any of the following organized sports at any level: football, hockey, rugby, soccer, lacrosse, wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, martial arts, and kickboxing.
* No military service.
* Must have BMI \>=24
* Must have at least 2 years post-secondary education at a 4-year accredited college or university, or have an associate's degree if they did not attend a 4-year accredited college or university
* Must have never been diagnosed with, or treated for, any of the following: depression, manic-depressive or bipolar disorder, anxiety, or other psychiatric or mental health problems
* Agree to provide name and contact information of a study partner who will complete questionnaires regarding subject's mood, behavior, thinking and cognitive function should the subject enroll in the study.
* Must be asymptomatic when screened by telephone.
* If they have a history of clinical stroke confirmed on neuroimaging
* If they have vision or hearing impairment significant enough to compromise neuropsychological testing
* If they have been hospitalized or treated in an emergency room following a severe injury to their head since they stopped playing football
* If they are unable to undergo MRI/PET Scan
* If they have a spinal fusion at L3-4 and/or L4-5
* If they are unable to travel to one of 4 study sites to participate
* If they are an insulin dependent diabetic
* If they cannot provide the name and contact information of an eligible study partner
* If they are taking blood thinners that would make LP unsafe
* If they have a type of abnormal heart rhythm called Torsades de pointes AKA TdP
* If they have an abnormal heart rhythm disorder called QT Prolongation or take certain medications known to cause QT Prolongation
* If they do not agree to all study tests and procedures
* If they are unable to consent to study procedures
Control Group Exclusion:
* If they have vision or hearing impairment significant enough to compromise neuropsychological testing
* If they are unable to undergo MRI/PET Scan
* If they have a spinal fusion at L3-4 and/or L4-5
* If they are an insulin dependent diabetic
* If they are unable to travel to one of 4 study sites to participate
* If they cannot provide the name and contact information of an eligible study partner
* If they report any cognitive concerns or dementia during screening process
* If they have a type of abnormal heart rhythm called Torsades de pointes AKA TdP
* If they have an abnormal heart rhythm disorder called QT Prolongation or take certain medications known to cause QT Prolongation
* If they are unable to consent to study procedures
45 Years
74 Years
MALE
Yes
Sponsors
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Mayo Clinic
OTHER
Banner Health
OTHER
Brigham and Women's Hospital
OTHER
NYU Langone Health
OTHER
The Cleveland Clinic
OTHER
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
NIH
Boston University
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Principal Investigators
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Robert A Stern, PhD
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Boston University
Locations
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Boston University School of Medicine
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Countries
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References
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Su Y, Protas H, Luo J, Chen K, Alosco ML, Adler CH, Balcer LJ, Bernick C, Au R, Banks SJ, Barr WB, Coleman MJ, Dodick DW, Katz DI, Marek KL, McClean MD, McKee AC, Mez J, Daneshvar DH, Palmisano JN, Peskind ER, Turner RW 2nd, Wethe JV, Rabinovici G, Johnson K, Tripodis Y, Cummings JL, Shenton ME, Stern RA, Reiman EM; DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project Investigators. Flortaucipir tau PET findings from former professional and college American football players in the DIAGNOSE CTE research project. Alzheimers Dement. 2024 Mar;20(3):1827-1838. doi: 10.1002/alz.13602. Epub 2023 Dec 22.
Stern RA, Trujillo-Rodriguez D, Tripodis Y, Pulukuri SV, Alosco ML, Adler CH, Balcer LJ, Bernick C, Baucom Z, Marek KL, McClean MD, Johnson KA, McKee AC, Stein TD, Mez J, Palmisano JN, Cummings JL, Shenton ME, Reiman EM; DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project Investigators. Amyloid PET across the cognitive spectrum in former professional and college American football players: findings from the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project. Alzheimers Res Ther. 2023 Oct 5;15(1):166. doi: 10.1186/s13195-023-01315-5.
Alosco ML, Mariani ML, Adler CH, Balcer LJ, Bernick C, Au R, Banks SJ, Barr WB, Bouix S, Cantu RC, Coleman MJ, Dodick DW, Farrer LA, Geda YE, Katz DI, Koerte IK, Kowall NW, Lin AP, Marcus DS, Marek KL, McClean MD, McKee AC, Mez J, Palmisano JN, Peskind ER, Tripodis Y, Turner RW 2nd, Wethe JV, Cummings JL, Reiman EM, Shenton ME, Stern RA; DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project Investigators. Developing methods to detect and diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy during life: rationale, design, and methodology for the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project. Alzheimers Res Ther. 2021 Aug 12;13(1):136. doi: 10.1186/s13195-021-00872-x.
Related Links
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Study website
Other Identifiers
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H-34799
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id