BU makes major breakthrough on detecting CTE in the living

[bormio]

I wonder what % of those likely to have CTE also would want to know that information. I've thought a fair bit about this in RE: Alzheimer's Disease. If you could know today that someday in the future you will suffer from the effects of that disease, would you want that information? There are substantial pros and cons to such information at this time.

This is the situation in families with Huntington's Chorea. Inherited with 50% chance of having. Symptoms do not show until late 20s and early 30s. Can test for it at any point - I believe many elect to not have the test (there is no treatment or prevention).

 

[RobertWeathers]

Anyone actually read the article? I did. And the Dr. at the center of it all comes out and says that this there is still lots of testing to do..

So, no. It's not a game changer yet.

Breakthrough may lead to ability to diagnose CTE in living football players


"She cautioned that a lot more research is needed. The BU findings are preliminary and have to be validated. "

The game has already been changed.

With that said people still smoke, do drugs and consume alcohol in large quantities daily.

The difference people don't want to watch them do it.

This also cuts into the population of people who want to play football

CCL11 is increased in the CNS in chronic traumatic encephalopathy but not in Alzheimer’s disease

 

[ScottishPatriots]

Soon as that happens it'll be part of the medical at the combine, NFL teams will be demanding scans to check prospects for early signs of CTE.

 

[bormio]

This may be important or a big nothing. It is unlikely to be of practical use for several years even if it pans out. For every real "breakthrough" in medicine there are a pile of duds. But it would be a major deal if it does pan out.

 

[primetime]

It's published in PLOS One and went through less than a month of peer review, both of which raise flags for me.

That said, after reading the paper, the results say there's a statistically significant difference in the level of this biomarker in CTE sufferers but not in the control or Alzheimer's sufferers and a high correlation between elevated levels of this biomarker and years playing football. The n is small for all groups, as one might expect. The methods are fine and the results are promising but you'll need to replicate this several more times with different samples.

 

[RobertWeathers]

This may be important or a big nothing. It is unlikely to be of practical use for several years even if it pans out. For every real "breakthrough" in medicine there are a pile of duds. But it would be a major deal if it does pan out.

Do you really think there is a possibility this will amount to a big nothing?

 

[RobertWeathers]

It's published in PLOS One and went through less than a month of peer review, both of which raise flags for me.

That said, after reading the paper, the results say there's a statistically significant difference in the level of this biomarker in CTE sufferers but not in the control or Alzheimer's sufferers and a high correlation between elevated levels of this biomarker and years playing football. The n is small for all groups, as one might expect. The methods are fine and the results are promising but you'll need to replicate this several more times with different samples.

Conclusion: They need funding and have expedited and prioritized the peer review.

Gotta wonder of there is a pharma out there that is working on a Alzheimer's drug and they want to leverage their study?

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Don't believe anything that isn't signed off on by Ted Wells and Exponent.

 

[YOUGOTMOSSED]

Time for the Omissioner and the 32 to up their nervousness level.

"Researchers from Boston University's School of Medicine may have made one of the biggest breakthroughs in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) research to date, as they say they have developed a method to detect CTE in living patients, according to multiple reports."

NFL head injuries: BU researchers say they have developed method to detect CTE in living patients (reports)

More good news for our friends at the NFL.

At this rate, this may be the final season.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I think the last report of 110/111 showing CTE made me feel more like what Dr.Pain is suggesting. For some reason, this comes off as more optimistic to me. I don't know.

The one thing to watch out for about that study is selection bias. IOW, the odds of getting CTE from football, to some degree, is probably higher than any of us would like, but probably lower than 99%.

 

[bormio]

Do you really think there is a possibility this will amount to a big nothing?

Of course, there are all sorts of markers discovered all the time. Some end up being useful, many do not. This work is preliminary. It needs to be replicated and applied to larger groups of patients. The researcher was not blowing smoke when she said to pump the brakes.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Of course, there are all sorts of markers discovered all the time. Some end up being useful, many do not. This work is preliminary. It needs to be replicated and applied to larger groups of patients. The researcher was not blowing smoke when she said to pump the brakes.

I agree its a preliminary study and should not be taken for gospel but the trend line based on progress tells us these people will figure it out.

They will get the funding they need to proceed.

The NFL is not stopping this train.

 

[bormio]

I agree its a preliminary study and should not be taken for gospel but the trend line based on progress tells us these people will figure it out.

They will get the funding they need to proceed.

The NFL is not stopping this train.

If it is from Boston it has to be right ... huh?
Seriously I hope it is a great thing, but sometimes lots of money and effort strikes out - that is the nature of medical research. But no, the NFL should not be quashing it.

 

[RobertWeathers]

If it is from Boston it has to be right ... huh?

Confused. It has nothing to do with Boston. It has everything to do with the progress, funding and momentum behind the research.

Seriously I hope it is a great thing, but sometimes lots of money and effort strikes out - that is the nature of medical research. But no, the NFL should not be quashing it.

I agree. Research is a crap-shoot. But if it means a drug company can be first to market with an affordable drug that allows a 13 year old inner-city kid in Miami or an affluent white kid in Plano, TX to play college football or a shot at playing in the NFL, Goody and CFL will happily contribute to the funding for this research.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

So did anyone read the yahoo article on Aaron Hernandez? They basically saying that CTE caused his criminal behavior.

 

[bormio]

I agree. Research is a crap-shoot. But if it means a drug company can be first to market with an affordable drug that allows a 13 year old inner-city kid in Miami or an affluent white kid in Plano, TX to play college football or a shot at playing in the NFL, Goody and CFL will happily contribute to the funding for this research.

This research is not for a drug to treat, but for a marker to diagnose. No drug company is going to care about this. It will likely depend on government funding which is not unlimited with many competing priorities. It will likely be years before this test is in widespread use if ever.

 

[RobertWeathers]

This research is not for a drug to treat, but for a marker to diagnose. No drug company is going to care about this. It will likely depend on government funding which is not unlimited with many competing priorities. It will likely be years before this test is in widespread use if ever.

Knowing a thing or two about this industry.....they look for every opportunity to make money.

They thoroughly understand it sometimes takes 3, 5 and 10 years for a drug to be approved for clinical trials. Never mind FDA approval.

Their investments can range in the hundreds of millions over that span.

Any ounce of research that complements or accelerates their timelines reduces potential investment, risk and development costs.

They are watching. Just gotta believe me.

 

[bormio]

So did anyone read the yahoo article on Aaron Hernandez? They basically saying that CTE caused his criminal behavior.

Utter speculation and likely completely wrong. Probably someone mouthing the family lawyer.

 

[bormio]

Knowing a thing or two about this industry.....they look for every opportunity to make money.

They thoroughly understand it sometimes takes 3, 5 and 10 years for a drug to be approved for clinical trials. Never mind FDA approval.

Their investments can range in the hundreds of millions over that span.

They are watching. Just gotta believe me.

But this substance is not a drug - but a test to diagnose. But it would allow us to identify and study CTE patients while alive and make drug trials possible - but we are a long way from that. Our therapeutic arsenal in dementia is nearly worthless, believe me.

 

[primetime]

Conclusion: They need funding and have expedited and prioritized the peer review.

Gotta wonder of there is a pharma out there that is working on a Alzheimer's drug and they want to leverage their study?

Maybe. I don't know why they didn't publish it in a high-impact journal though. Granted, PLOS One is pretty much the only reputable "open source" journal but it's hardly great.