A question for Scientifically Literate people

[Here'sJim]

So a man with cte-like pathology was found who didn't have previous head trauma in life.

 

https://clinmedjournals.org/articles/ijpcr/international-journal-of-pathology-and-clinical-research-ijpcr-3-050.php?jid=ijpcr

 

I don't remember this study being in the news which surprised me because it's implications would be huge. Is there something wrong with the study that may make its conclusions highly questionable? 

This study doesn't prove that this man had no previous head trauma (though his wife could not recall a time that he did) so perhaps that is why?

[Heimdallr]

5 minutes ago, Here'sJim said:

So a man with cte-like pathology was found who didn't have previous head trauma in life.

 

https://clinmedjournals.org/articles/ijpcr/international-journal-of-pathology-and-clinical-research-ijpcr-3-050.php?jid=ijpcr

 

I don't remember this study being in the news which surprised me because it's implications would be huge. Is there something wrong with the study that may make it's conclusions highly questionable? 

This study doesn't prove that this man had no previous head trauma (though his wife could not recall a time that he did) so perhaps that is why?

It was a single patient who had ALS, so the brain was already abnormal. Definitely not enough evidence of anything to be worth reporting. 

[Here'sJim]

32 minutes ago, Heimdallr said:

It was a single patient who had ALS, so the brain was already abnormal. Definitely not enough evidence of anything to be worth reporting. 

("However, out of the latter group, only 43 (51%) demonstrated CTE pathology alone; whereas 8 (9%) cases were CTE-MND and 17 (20%) were CTE plus another neurodegenerative disease (AD, PD, DLBD, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy, Pick's disease). Considering that past studies have not had problems diagnosing cte along with other degenerative brain disorders, I doubt als would nullify these findings. There is no where in the study that suggested this to be a reason to doubt their study either.

[TXsteeler]

Heimdallr is just saying that the guy's brain already had problems so it wasn't like he had a fully functional and healthy brain to begin with, not that it impedes detection.

They also have no real proof that he has no history of head trauma other than no reported linkages to certain athletic or military experiences and his wife's say so, which isn't proof. It's also just one guy. So tbh there is nothing scientific about this.

They found a guy who appears to have not played sports or otherwise participated in activities that lead to blows to the head who has CTE but he also had ALS. They need more data and better tracked data to be able to actually say anything. For all we know the wife was beating this guy for the past 7 years while he has ALS, it's not an uncommon thing.

[mse326]

Along with the above even if CTE can form without the presence of head trauma that doesn't mean that repeated head trauma doesn't/can't significantly increase the chances. That is why studies on CTE aren't just about studying the brains of these athletes with head trauma but comparing it to what is found in the general public. This would be similar to Parkinson's. Studies have shown head trauma increases the chances of being diagnosed, but that doesn't mean it is the only way/cause.

[Here'sJim]

4 hours ago, mse326 said:

Along with the above even if CTE can form without the presence of head trauma that doesn't mean that repeated head trauma doesn't/can't significantly increase the chances. That is why studies on CTE aren't just about studying the brains of these athletes with head trauma but comparing it to what is found in the general public. This would be similar to Parkinson's. Studies have shown head trauma increases the chances of being diagnosed, but that doesn't mean it is the only way/cause.

Yea, the linkage between cte and contact has been established, I get that. However, if this disease is much more widespread, involving the general public, you may see more support in fighting it due to more exposure. Also, more people may be able to attribute their symptoms to cte knowing that it can happen in anyone thus increasing the amounts of brains donated.

As for the first comment about domestic violence over those years, I'm sure a coroner would be able to pick up on that pretty easily. This dude also was cognitively alright, which you would make that chance even lower, right? Also, I find it hard to believe the wife of somebody would not know that her husband played football or was involved in a hobby that involved head contact.

I suppose it is unproven at the end of the day, but you would think the statistics would favor the narrative.

 

Thanks everyone for the comments, I think getting other perspectives help alot in understanding this article more. Hopefully more research in the future can build on this, and we'll have a clearer picture on the disease in the future.