Media release

From: Pasifika Medical Association Group

This article describes a case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in a former New Zealand representative rugby league player. This is the first locally diagnosed case of CTE in New Zealand—although other cases have been diagnosed subsequently. In older individuals, CTE is often seen in conjunction with other neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. In these cases, it can be difficult to determine the relative contribution of each process to a patient’s symptoms. In younger people, changes of CTE are more likely to be seen in isolation. The only way to definitively diagnose CTE at present is through post-mortem examination of the brain.