Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30969506›Full record

ArticleThe New England journal of medicine2019

Tau Positron-Emission Tomography in Former National Football League Players.

Robert A Stern, Charles H Adler, Kewei Chen, Michael Navitsky, Ji Luo, David W Dodick, Michael L Alosco, Yorghos Tripodis, Dhruman D Goradia, Brett Martin and 8 more

Registry-linked trialOpen access · bronzeAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The New England journal of medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT02079766 (18F-AV-1451 and Florbetapir F 18 PET Imaging in Subjects With Repetitive Brain Trauma at High Risk for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), which is not on this map. Cited by 112 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
112citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
21.7field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT02079766 phase2completednot on this map

18F-AV-1451 and Florbetapir F 18 PET Imaging in Subjects With Repetitive Brain Trauma at High Risk for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

TypeinterventionalSponsorAvid RadiopharmaceuticalsRan2014 to 2015Enrolled41ConditionsChronic Traumatic EncephalopathyArmsflorbetapir F 18, Flortaucipir F18
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

112 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 211 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Brain regional susceptibility to tauopathy in individuals at risk for chronic traumatic encephalopathy.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2026
    Article
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  8. Observational
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  11. Review
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  13. Molecular neurodegeneration · 2025
    Article
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. Article
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  18. Article
  19. Review
  20. Article

52 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors at 7 institutions in 1 country.

Robert A SternFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Charles H AdlerFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Kewei ChenFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Michael NavitskyFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Ji LuoFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
David W DodickFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Michael L AloscoFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Yorghos TripodisFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Dhruman D GoradiaFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Brett MartinFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Diego MastroeniFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Nathan G FrittsFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Johnny JarnaginFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Michael D DevousFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Mark A MintunFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Michael J PontecorvoFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Martha E ShentonFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Eric M ReimanFrom the Boston University School of Medicine (R.A.S., M.L.A., N.G.F., J.J.), Boston University School of Public Health (Y.T., B.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (M.E.S.), Harvard Medical School (M.E.S.), and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (M.E.S.) - all in Boston; Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale (C.H.A., D.W.D.), Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix (K.C., J.L., D.D.G., E.M.R.), and Arizona State University, Tempe (D.M.) - all in Arizona; and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia (M.N., M.D.D., M.A.M., M.J.P.).
Boston University · USAlzheimer's Association · USMayo Clinic in Arizona · USArizona State University · USBanner Alzheimer’s InstituteUniversity School · USVA Boston Healthcare System · US

Funding

Project 1U19AG024904 · NIA · NORTHERN CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE/RES/EDU · PI MONICA G. RIVERA-MINDT · 2016 to 2026
$226.7M
Project-005UL1TR001430 · NCATS · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI BAIR-MERRITT, MEGAN H, CENTER, DAVID M. · 2015 to 2024
$52.3M
Research Education ComponentP30AG019610 · NIA · SUN HEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTE · PI GONZALEZ HERNANDEZ, GRACIELA · 2001 to 2020
$32.5M
Neuropathology CoreP30AG013846 · NIA · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI KOWALL, NEIL W. · 1996 to 2020
$29.1M
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Detection, Diagnosis, Course, and Risk FactorsU01NS093334 · NINDS · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI CUMMINGS, JEFFREY L., REIMAN, ERIC MICHAEL · 2016 to 2022
$17.0M
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Clinical Presentation and BiomarkersR01NS078337 · NINDS · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI STERN, ROBERT A · 2011 to 2013
$2.0M
Repetitive Head Impact Exposure and Later-Life White Matter Signal Abnormalities: An Investigation in Former NFL Players, Subjects with Alzheimer's Disease, and Cognitively Normal ControlsK23NS102399 · NINDS · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI ALOSCO, MICHAEL · 2018 to 2022
$793k
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Clinical Presentation and BiomarkersR56NS078337 · NINDS · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI STERN, ROBERT A · 2014 to 2014
$786k
NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001430NIA NIH HHS P30 AG013846NIA NIH HHS P30 AG019610NIA NIH HHS U19 AG024904NIH HHS 1UL1TR001430NIH HHS R01NS078337NIH HHS U01NS093334NINDS NIH HHS K23 NS102399NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS078337NINDS NIH HHS R56 NS078337NINDS NIH HHS U01 NS093334U.S. Department of Defense W81XWH-13-2-0063U.S. Department of Defense W81XWH-13-2-0064
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease that has been associated with a history of repetitive head impacts. The neuropathological diagnosis is based on a specific pattern of tau deposition with minimal amyloid-beta deposition that differs from other disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. The feasibility of detecting tau and amyloid deposition in the brains of living persons at risk for CTE has not been well studied.

methodsWe used flortaucipir positron-emission tomography (PET) and florbetapir PET to measure deposition of tau and amyloid-beta, respectively, in the brains of former National Football League (NFL) players with cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms and in asymptomatic men with no history of traumatic brain injury. Automated image-analysis algorithms were used to compare the regional tau standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR, the ratio of radioactivity in a cerebral region to that in the cerebellum as a reference) between the two groups and to explore the associations of SUVR with symptom severity and with years of football play in the former-player group.

resultsA total of 26 former players and 31 controls were included in the analysis. The mean flortaucipir SUVR was higher among former players than among controls in three regions of the brain: bilateral superior frontal (1.09 vs. 0.98; adjusted mean difference, 0.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.06 to 0.20; P<0.001), bilateral medial temporal (1.23 vs. 1.12; adjusted mean difference, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.21; P<0.001), and left parietal (1.12 vs. 1.01; adjusted mean difference, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.20; P = 0.002). In exploratory analyses, the correlation coefficients in these three regions between the SUVRs and years of play were 0.58 (95% CI, 0.25 to 0.79), 0.45 (95% CI, 0.07 to 0.71), and 0.50 (95% CI, 0.14 to 0.74), respectively. There was no association between tau deposition and scores on cognitive and neuropsychiatric tests. Only one former player had levels of amyloid-beta deposition similar to those in persons with Alzheimer's disease.

conclusionsA group of living former NFL players with cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms had higher tau levels measured by PET than controls in brain regions that are affected by CTE and did not have elevated amyloid-beta levels. Further studies are needed to determine whether elevated CTE-associated tau can be detected in individual persons. (Funded by Avid Radiopharmaceuticals and others.).

Indexed as

Positron-Emission TomographyAdultAgedAniline CompoundsBrainBrain ChemistryBrain ConcussionCase-Control StudiesChronic Traumatic EncephalopathyCognition DisordersEthylene GlycolsFootballHumansMaleMental DisordersMiddle AgedAniline CompoundsEthylene GlycolsflorbetapirRadiopharmaceuticalstau Proteins

Identifiers

PMID30969506
PMCPMC6636818
OpenAlexW2936881644

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.