chronic traumatic encephalopathy

noun

: a progressive neurological disease that is found especially in athletes (such as boxers, wrestlers, or football players) who have experienced repetitive, mild injury to the brain and that is characterized by short-term memory loss, concentration deficits, confusion, depression, behavioral and personality changes (such as an increase in irritability, impulsivity, or aggression), speech and gait abnormalities, parkinsonism, and dementia

—abbreviation CTE

called also dementia pugilistica, punch-drunk syndrome

Note: The neurological deterioration of chronic traumatic encephalopathy is accompanied by atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes and accumulation of tau protein in neurofibrillary tangles.

Examples of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Former Bruins enforcer Lyndon Byers, who died in 2025 at the age of 61, suffered from stage 3 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). —Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 28 May 2026

Andrews suspects that playing football well into his college years might have something to do with his condition, but CTE — chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease that has been found in people exposed to repetitive head trauma — can be diagnosed only after a person dies. —Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026

Like Mangione, Tamura left behind a piece of evidence for investigators to find, blaming the NFL and football for causing chronic traumatic encephalopathy. —Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026

Steve McMichael, who died last year at 67 after a five-year battle with ALS, has been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy. —Jimmy Golen, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1957, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for chronic traumatic encephalopathy

• cardiomyopathy
• coagulopathy
• homoeopathy
• polyneuropathy
• radiculopathy
• enteropathy
• myelopathy
• retinopathy
• myopathy
• psychopathy

Medical Definition

chronic traumatic encephalopathy

noun

: a progressive neurological disease that is found especially in athletes (as boxers, wrestlers, or football players) who have experienced repetitive, typically minor injury (as concussion) to the brain and is characterized by short-term memory loss, concentration deficits, confusion, depression, behavioral and personality changes (such as an increase in irritability, impulsivity, or aggression), speech and gait abnormalities, parkinsonism, and dementia

—abbreviation CTE

called also dementia pugilistica, punch-drunk syndrome

Note: The neurological deterioration of chronic traumatic encephalopathy is accompanied by atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes and accumulation of tau protein in neurofibrillary tangles.

… it is only in the past decade that scientists have identified the problem in American football players. They have also been able to identify, on autopsy, pathological markers for the disease, now called chronic traumatic encephalopathy …

—Jeffrey Bartholet, Scientific American

[Dr. Robert] Cantu said that symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy include depression and erratic behavior, but he declined to speculate on any role the condition played in Benoit's final violent acts.

—Alan Schwarz, The New York Times