chronic traumatic encephalopathy
nounDefinition of chronic traumatic encephalopathy
: a progressive neurological disease that is found especially in athletes (such as boxers, wrestlers, or football players) who have experienced repetitive, mild injury to the brain and that is characterized by short-term memory loss, concentration deficits, confusion, depression, behavioral and personality changes (such as an increase in irritability, impulsivity, or aggression), speech and gait abnormalities, parkinsonism, and dementia
—abbreviation CTE
— called also dementia pugilistica, punch-drunk syndrome
Note: The neurological deterioration of chronic traumatic encephalopathy is accompanied by atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes and accumulation of tau protein in neurofibrillary tangles.
Examples of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Perhaps more problematically, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) can only be diagnosed posthumously. — Robert Klemko, SI.com, "You Never Knew Kellen Winslow Jr.," 13 June 2019 The parents of former Washington State quarterback Tyler Hilinski say their son had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at the time of his death. — Tom Schad, USA TODAY, "Parents of former Washington State QB Tyler Hilinski say he had CTE when he committed suicide," 26 June 2018 The law is aimed at preventing a degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. — SFChronicle.com, "Is high school football slowly dying? Read the latest numbers for California," 1 Aug. 2019 Late in life, Buoniconti battled a devastating and untreatable neurodegenerative disease that was most likely CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). — Los Angeles Times, "Nick Buoniconti, former Miami Dolphin great and Hall of Fame linebacker, dies at 78," 31 July 2019 The study will follow 20 former high-level female soccer players, all of whom will be 40 or older, to determine whether headers cause the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy. — Sophia Eppolito, BostonGlobe.com, "BU launches CTE study of former female soccer players," 28 June 2019 Ohio also is the only state to permit medical marijuana to treat chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the traumatic brain damage most often found in boxers, football players and military veterans. — Anne Saker, Cincinnati.com, "Medical marijuana: Ohio board votes today on whether autism, anxiety will be qualifying conditions," 11 June 2019 The speakers made an occasional reference to concussions, but almost no one mentioned chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the brain disease linked to repeated head hits that is a far bigger risk to the sport. — Ken Belson, New York Times, "Football’s True Believers Circle the Wagons and Insist the Sport Is Just Fine," 30 Jan. 2018 The nation’s first trial involving football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is fast approaching. — Michael Mccann, SI.com, "Analyzing Ploetz v. NCAA, the First Legal Battle Over CTE to Reach Trial," 26 Apr. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chronic traumatic encephalopathy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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