When was cte discovered?

CTE was first described in 1928, when Dr. Harrison Martland characterized a group of boxers as having “punch drunk syndrome.” Over the next 75 years, several researchers reported similar findings in boxers and other victims of brain trauma, but fewer than 50 cases were confirmed.

Among individuals diagnosed with CTE, some report mood and behavior symptoms that can appear as early as the patient’s 20s. Disorders reported include:

However, these reported symptoms may not necessarily be caused by CTE. Experts believe these symptoms could also be caused by concussions, other consequences of repetitive head impacts like white matter changes - or could be completely unrelated to head impacts.

No matter the cause, these symptoms can be treated, and the CLF HelpLine is here to connect you with a doctor who can help treat these symptoms and provide additional support.

Cognitive symptoms

Most patients with CTE eventually experience progressive disorders of thinking and memory, including problems with:

Progressive cognitive symptoms related to CTE tend to appear later in life, sometimes in midlife, but more frequently in a patient’s 60s or 70s. Patients may exhibit one or both symptom clusters. In some cases, symptoms worsen with time (even if the patient suffers no additional head impacts). In other cases, symptoms may be stable for years before worsening.

If cognitive symptoms appear in early or midlife, they could have another, more treatable cause than CTE. Sleep disorders and neuroendocrine disorders from damage to the pituitary gland can cause treatable cognitive changes. Learn what you can do to improve your lifelong brain performance at Operation Brain Health.

Sleep symptoms