ALS subset linked to head injuries

[whyRwehere]

An article about a protein (tau) found in the brain of athletes, that leads to ALS like symptoms and possibly caused by trauma to the brain. Link

[cheerleader]

Hi Why---
Thanks for posting this. We've been discussing this research at CCSVI Alliance--

Here's another article from the NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/18/sport ... .html?_r=1

Dr. McKee had already found 12 deceased N.F.L. veterans to have had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive disease in brain tissue that results in cognitive impairment and eventually dementia. Two of those men — Wally Hilgenberg, a longtime linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings in the 1970s, and Eric Scoggins, who played only three games at linebacker for the 1982 San Francisco 49ers — also had A.L.S. diagnosed by their physicians.

When Dr. McKee examined the spinal-cord tissue of those men, as well as a former boxer who had A.L.S.-like symptoms, she found dramatically high levels of tau and TDP-43, two proteins known to cause motor-neuron degeneration. She said that they would appear in the cord as a result of blows to the brain, with the proteins probably traveling down the spinal cord, rather than direct injury to the spinal cord itself.

Dr. Haacke and the new International Society of Neurovascular Diseases are already looking at head trauma and neurodegenerative disease. There may be a whole subset of patients whose disease is started with repetitive head injuries and the release of tau into the CNS.

interesting times in brain research--
cheer

[JennInNY]

Thank you for posting those articles, why and cheerleader. I am currently in diagnosis limbo and, as a former contact sport athlete who has seen more than her share of concussions, I am going to request that my spinal fluid is tested for those proteins as well.