Associations and Outcomes Between Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and Vasculitis in Adults Patients

Abstract

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) results from brain injuries and traumas due to accelerated impacts on the head. In severe cases, the diseases cause brain damage, given the head trauma. On the other hand, vasculitis occurs through antibodies that mistake protein vessels as foreign, hence fighting them and resulting in their damage. Examination is usually conducted through blood tests, with antibodies being identified in the antineutrophil cytoplasm. It is unfortunate that its devastating effects also affect the brain of a human, hence leading to dis-functioning. When vasculitis is left untreated, it results in multiple adverse effects on the human body and health both in the short term and in the long term. This study aims to bring to the awareness of neurosurgeons the associations between CTE and vasculitis. This study has proved that there is a close correlation between the progression of CTE and vasculitis. The inflammatory of the blood vessels, as witnessed in vasculitis, increases the risk factors for CTE. The scaling of the vessels and manifestation of different vasculitis conditions in active central nervous system cells results in the worsening of neurodegeneration of the CTE disease.

Inflammatory Disorders of the Central Nervous System Vessels: Narrative Review

“…Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare inflammatory vascular condition of unknown etiology that affects only the blood vessels in the central nervous system (CNS)—the brain, spinal cord and meninges [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. People of all ages are affected, but the highest incidence is found in the sixth decade of life [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Some studies describe similar incidence between both sexes [ 1 , 6 , 10 ], while other authors highlight a slight male predominance [ 2 , 4 , 8 , 9 ].…”

“…People of all ages are affected, but the highest incidence is found in the sixth decade of life [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Some studies describe similar incidence between both sexes [ 1 , 6 , 10 ], while other authors highlight a slight male predominance [ 2 , 4 , 8 , 9 ]. It is problematic to estimate the true incidence of the disease due to its rarity and lack of epidemiological studies, but the available data suggests an annual incidence rate of 2.4 cases per 1 million person-years [ 1 , 5 , 7 , 11 ].…”

“…Central nervous system (CNS) vasculitides comprise a heterogenic group of disorders that can cause substantial disability or even be fatal if the treatment is not applied in a timely fashion [ 1 ]. Acquired lesions of the CNS vessels can be caused by primary angiitis of the CNS (PACNS), inflammatory cerebral amyloid angiopathy (ICAA), systemic inflammatory disorders, infectious agents, drugs, radiation and possibly chronic traumatic encephalopathy [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. This review article is focused on inflammatory non-infectious CNS vasculopathies or CNS vasculitides.…”