ArticleNeurology2026
Inflammation, Limbic White Matter Microstructure, and Clinical Symptoms in Retired American Football Players With Repetitive Head Impacts.
Olivia M Emanuel, Annalise E Miner, Shannon Y Lee, Emily F Matusz, Jared J Tanner, Michael Marsiske, Allison Holgerson, Monica T Ly, Fatima Tuz-Zahra, Yorghos Tripodis and 27 more
Abstract read
In one paragraphArticle in Neurology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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 registryThe 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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
3 · Its place in the literatureWho cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
4 · The recordCorrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
5 · Who and what moneyAuthors and funding
37 authors.
Annalise E MinerBoston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, MA.
Jared J TannerDepartment of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville.
Michael MarsiskeDepartment of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville.
Allison HolgersonDepartment of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville.
Monica T LyBoston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, MA.
Yorghos TripodisBoston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, MA.ORCID 0000-0003-2190-7608 Charles H AdlerDepartment of Neurology, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale.ORCID 0000-0002-1045-2743 Henrik ZetterbergDepartment of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London Institute of Neurology, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0003-3930-4354 Nicholas J AshtonDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-3579-8804 Jennifer Voreis WetheDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale.ORCID 0000-0003-2911-1129 Robert C CantuBoston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, MA.ORCID 0009-0002-4300-4063 Michael J ColemanPsychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA.ORCID 0000-0001-9326-7932 David W DodickDepartment of Neurology, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale.ORCID 0000-0002-9486-6790 Jesse MezBoston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, MA.ORCID 0000-0003-1438-5442 Joseph PalmisanoCenter for Health Data Science (CHDS), Boston University School of Public Health, MA.ORCID 0000-0001-6000-3025 Brett MartinBoston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, MA.ORCID 0009-0000-9158-7190 Alexander P LinCenter for Clinical Spectroscopy, Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.ORCID 0000-0001-8236-880X Ofer PasternakPsychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA.ORCID 0000-0002-7078-6446 Inga K KoertePsychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA.ORCID 0000-0003-1281-9286 Jeffrey L CummingsChambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience, Department of Brain Health, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, University of Nevada Las Vegas.ORCID 0000-0001-8944-4158 Martha E ShentonPsychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA.ORCID 0000-0003-4235-7879 Robert A SternBoston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, MA.ORCID 0000-0002-5008-077X Sylvain BouixPsychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA.ORCID 0000-0003-1326-6054 Michael L AloscoBoston University CTE Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, MA.ORCID 0000-0002-8113-8428 Funding
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Detection, Diagnosis, Course, and Risk FactorsU01NS093334 · NINDS · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI CUMMINGS, JEFFREY L., REIMAN, ERIC MICHAEL · 2016 to 2022
$17.0MSex Differences in Brain Structure and Function After Sports-Related ConcussionR01NS100952 · NINDS · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · PI KOERTE, INGA KATHARINA · 2017 to 2022
$2.9MNINDS NIH HHS R01 NS100952NINDS NIH HHS U01 NS093334
6 · The paper itselfAbstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectivesThe link between repetitive head impact (RHI) exposure, later-life cognitive decline, and neurobehavioral dysregulation (NBD) is not well understood. Recent work has implicated inflammation and limbic dysfunction as relevant RHI correlates. Our goal was to integrate plasma and CSF inflammatory biomarkers, structural brain imaging, and clinical measures in former elite American football players to better understand reasons for RHI-related cognitive and neurobehavioral changes.
methodsParticipants were from the Diagnostics, Imaging, and Genetics Network for the Objective Study and Evaluation of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Research Project, which recruited male former college/professional football players with RHI and asymptomatic unexposed (UE) controls with no history of contact sports, military combat, or traumatic brain injury/concussion. Our study focused on plasma/CSF inflammatory biomarkers (interleukin [IL]-6, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, glial fibrillary acidic protein), limbic white matter (WM) microstructure (diffusion tensor imaging: fractional anisotropy [FA], mean diffusivity [MD]), and clinical measures (memory, executive function, NBD). Hierarchical linear regressions assessed change in variance explained (Δ
resultsOur sample included 223 men (n = 170 football players: age 57.2 ± 8.1 years, 33% non-Hispanic/Black; n = 53 UE participants: age 59.4 ± 8.6 years, 34% non-Hispanic/Black). In football players, higher inflammation was associated with lower limbic FA (plasma IL-6: Δ DISCUSSION: In former elite football players, elevated plasma and CSF inflammatory markers were associated with poorer limbic WM microstructure, which in turn related to worse cognition. Given the limbic system's role in cognition and behavior, inflammation may be a modifiable target for RHI-related neurodegeneration. Limitations include the cross-sectional design and limited generalizability to other contact sports, lower levels of play, female athletes, or other RHI sources.
Identifiers
PMID41740080
PMCPMC13322162
What OpenQuestion holds
Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390