WashU Medicine Researchers Link Blood Protein to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a protein fragment in the blood, eMTBR-tau243, that is elevated in individuals with advanced chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This discovery, published in JAMA, marks a significant step towards diagnosing CTE in living patients, a condition currently only confirmable post-mortem. The study, led by co-senior authors Kanta Horie, PhD, and Chihiro Sato, PhD, found that this biomarker, previously linked to Alzheimer's disease, also indicates the presence of CTE and some inherited forms of frontotemporal dementia. The research involved testing eMTBR-tau243 levels in samples from 229 participants, including those with confirmed brain diseases and healthy volunteers. While the test accurately distinguished advanced CTE from healthy individuals, it was less reliable in identifying early-stage CTE. The findings suggest that this biomarker could be crucial for monitoring at-risk individuals and facilitating drug trials for ta...
