Scientists have made a major breakthrough for early diagnosis of a brain disorder afflicting some of Australia's football greats, which could lead to previously impossible treatment.
Caused by repeated head knocks, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is not unlike Alzheimer's, is frequently found in rugby league and AFL stars.
An autopsy after death has been the only method of certain diagnosis until now.
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Symptoms of CTE include memory loss, confusion, impaired judgement, mood changes, and motor problems, but a diagnosis can only be made by examining the brain after death.
Now, neuroscientists in New Zealand have made a breakthrough for early testing using brain tissue mainly from former rugby players.
"What we found essentially is that there's a pattern of inflammation around blood vessels in CTE which is different to what we see in people who don't have the disease," University of Auckland research fellow Dr Helen Murray said.
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The hallmarks of CTE are brown lesions on the brain, abnormal proteins called tau not dissimilar to Alzheimer's disease, but in different areas.
Associate Professor and Australian Sports Brain Bank Director Dr Michael Buckland said these findings could pave the way for a blood test to diagnose CTE earlier on.
"If these changes occurred or preceded CTE, its a possibility that you may be able to intervene, treat people early on," he said.
Dr Murray said that earlier diagnosis may mean CTE can be dealt with during someone's lifetime through "pharmaceuticals, resting, and letting that inflammation go away".
NRL legend Wally Lewis has been diagnosed with probable CTE via this new method.
"It just became almost monotonous – where I could not remember what I'd just been told in a general everyday conversation," Lewis told 9News of his syptoms.
Other NRL sporting greats including Steve Folks and Paul Green were both diagnosed with CTE after death, while hallmarks of the disease were also found in the brain of recently-deceased 20-year-old rising star Keith Titmuss.
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AFL stars including Graham "Polly" Farmer, Shane Tuck, Danny Frawley, and women's premiership player Heather Anderson were also diagnosed with CTE through autopsy.
The NRL is taking the issue seriously, introducing a series of measures to protect players including a compulsory 11-day stand-down for anyone found to be concussed.
Dr Buckland says a living diagnosis will happen with new technology and funding, with significant progress possible in the next few years.
"I can see that in reach, I think we're getting close," he said.
"It's the first time brain banks from Australia, New Zealand, and the US have all collaborated to work together on a specific problem.
