Story
How Blood-Brain Barrier Failure Drives CTE in Athletes
Key takeaway
Repeated head impacts in athletes can cause a leaky blood-brain barrier, leading to toxic protein buildup and dementia-like symptoms. This finding points to new ways to diagnose and treat these brain injuries early on.
Quick Explainer
New research has identified a leaky blood-brain barrier as the primary mechanism linking repetitive head injuries to long-term cognitive decline in retired athletes, leading to a buildup of toxic proteins associated with Alzheimer's and dementia.