Single- versus two-test criteria for cognitive impairment: associations with CSF and imaging markers in former American football players

• Published in: Clinical neuropsychologist 2025-01, p.1-25
• Main Authors: Ly, Monica T, Altaras, Caroline, Tripodis, Yorghos, Adler, Charles H, Balcer, Laura J, Bernick, Charles, Zetterberg, Henrik, Blennow, Kaj, Peskind, Elaine R, Banks, Sarah J, Barr, William B, Wethe, Jennifer V, Lenio, Steve, Bondi, Mark W, Delano-Wood, Lisa M, Cantu, Robert C, Coleman, Michael J, Dodick, David W, Mez, Jesse, Daneshvar, Daniel H, Palmisano, Joseph N, Martin, Brett, Lin, Alexander P, Koerte, Inga K, Bouix, Sylvain, Cummings, Jeffrey L, Reiman, Eric M, Shenton, Martha E, Stern, Robert A, Alosco, Michael L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: axonal injury; Clinical Medicine; cognitive impairment; Klinisk medicin; neurodegeneration; repeated head trauma; repetitive head impact; traumatic encephalopathy syndrome
• ISSN: 1385-4046; 1744-4144; 1744-4144
• DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2025.2451828

 Cognitive impairment is a core feature of traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES), the putative clinical syndrome of chronic traumatic encephalopathy-a neuropathological disease associated with repetitive head impacts (RHI). Careful operationalization of cognitive impairment is essential to improving the diagnostic specificity and accuracy of TES criteria. We compared single- versus two-test criteria for cognitive impairment in their associations with CSF and imaging biomarkers in male former American football players.  169 participants from the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project completed neuropsychological tests of memory and executive functioning. Cognitive impairment was identified by single-test criteria ( ≤-1.5 on one test) and two-test criteria (