Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: State-of-the-Science and Prioritizing Athlete Brain Health
Abstract:
Contact and collision sport athletes who sustain repetitive head impacts (RHI) are at increased risk for neurodegenerative diseases, such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) as they age. Athletic trainers increasingly are faced with questions from athletes, coaches, and parents concerned about sport-related head trauma and the ramifications for short- and long-term brain health. There remain significant gaps in understanding who is at greatest risk for diseases like CTE and our ability to diagnose CTE during life. Closing these gaps is essential for providing accurate education to athletes, implementing primary and secondary prevention strategies, and ultimately developing therapeutics. Athletic trainers play a unique role in communicating the state-of-the-science to their athletes and advocating for athlete health both during and after their playing careers.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the difference between neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., CTE, Alzheimer’s disease) and changes in cognitive or behavioral function (mild cognitive impairment, dementia).
- Describe the current state of knowledge around CTE risk factors.
- Recognize opportunities for primary and secondary prevention of RHI-related brain health risks.
- Express education and awareness plans for at-risk athletes concerned about aging brain health
Level:
Essential
Domain(s):
Domain 1: Risk Reduction Wellness and Health Literacy
Domain 2: Assessment Evaluation and Diagnosis
Orthopedic Domain(s):
N/A
Keywords:
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy; Concussion; Biomarker
CEUs:
1.0 Category A
A Statement of Credit reflecting your CEUs will be issued immediately upon the successful completion of all course components.
Course Expiration:
All sessions of the NATA 77th Symposia On-Demand must be completed by December 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
For full details, refer to the expiration policy on our FAQ page.
Breton Asken, PhD, ATC
Breton Asken, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Florida. He is a member of the Clinical Core of the 1Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and affiliated with the UF McKnight Brain Institute, Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, and the UF Brain Injury, Rehabilitation, and Neuroresilience (BRAIN) Center.
Dr. Asken completed bachelor’s degrees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Exercise & Sport Science – Athletic Training, Psychology) and was a research assistant in the Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center. He then earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology (Neuropsychology track) from the University of Florida and completed his clinical internship in neuropsychology at Brown University. Dr. Asken completed a postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychology at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center.
Dr. Asken’s research integrates fluid and brain imaging biomarkers with cognitive and behavioral evaluations to study the complex associations between neuropathological changes and clinical phenotypes among patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. His sub-focus is studying the role that lifetime head trauma plays in later-life neurodegenerative diseases, like chronic traumatic encephalopathy. He currently leads multiple studies validating emerging diagnostic biomarkers for different neurodegenerative diseases, and he is the University of Florida site PI for the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project II study.
