Special Topics in Contact Sport Athletes and Others Who Have Had Multiple Concussions and Subconcussive Impacts

Abstract

When to retire from contact sports? Help the patient, family, and peers think through the decision carefully. Educate them about the risk of serious and currently untreatable long-term problems, such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Discuss potential for a future professional sports career versus other career, interpersonal, and family aspirations. Does the patient have Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)? There is no way to tell for sure while the patient is alive. High-risk features may include progressive worsening over time, prominent mood and behavioral abnormalities, parkinsonism, and a cavum septum pellucidum on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. At present, treatment is entirely based on relieving symptoms and keeping the patient safe.