Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

Although a correlation has been noted between brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a causal connection between the two has never been demonstrated. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a neurodegenerative condition similar to conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal degeneration. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy can only be diagnosed post mortem, but attempts are underway to develop objective diagnostic tests in living individuals. When individuals who have a history of presumed head injury present with neuropsychiatric symptoms such as behavioral changes or cognitive decline, they should undergo a full neuropsychiatric workup and be managed appropriately for their symptoms.