Selected Research Studies

Brain Bank Studies

Layden RM, Groh JR, Miner AE, Kidd A, Nosek SB, Gil SG, Abdolmohammadi B, Lenio S, Nowinski CJ, Tripodis Y, Martin BM, Palmisano JN, Dwyer BC, Katz DI, Goldstein LE, Cantu RC, Stern RA, Stein TD, McKee AC, Daneshvar DH, Mez J, Alosco ML. CTE neuropathology alone is associated with dementia and cognitive symptoms. Alzheimers Dement. 2026 Jan;22(1):e71032

Nosek SB, Gonzalez Gil S, Abdolmohammadi B, Layden R, Nowinski CJ, Tripodis Y, Martin BM, Palmisano JN, Torres A, Dwyer BC, Katz DI, Goldstein LE, Cantu RC, Stern RA, Stein TD, McKee AC, Mez J, Alosco ML, Daneshvar DH. Younger Age of First Exposure to American Football Is Associated with Worse Informant-Reported Clinical Outcomes in Older Age Brain Donors. J Neurotrauma. 2026 Feb 13:8977151261424707. doi: 10.1177/08977151261424707.

Miner AE, Groh JR, Farris C, Hattiangadi S, Cui A, Brickman AM, Alshikho M, Rabinovici GD, Rosen HJ, Cobigo Y, Asken B, Nowinski CJ, Bureau S, Shahrokhi F, Tripodis Y, Ly M, Altaras C, Lenio S, Stern RA, Rosen G, Kelley H, Huber BR, Stein TD, Mez J, McKee AC, Alosco ML. Does white matter and vascular injury from repetitive head impacts lead to a novel pattern on T2 FLAIR MRI? A hypothesis proposal and call for research. Alzheimers Dement. 2025 Mar;21(3):e70085. doi: 10.1002/alz.70085. PMID: 40145364; PMCID: PMC11947747.

Nicks R, Shah A, Stathas SA, Kirsch D, Horowitz SM, Saltiel N, Calderazzo SM, Butler MLMD, Cormier KA, Aytan N, Tu-Zahra F, Mathias R, Faheem F, Marcus S, Spurlock E, Fishbein L, Esnault CD, Boden A, Rosen G, Xia W, Daley S, Meng G, Martin BR, Daneshvar DH, Nowinski CJ, Alosco ML, Mez J, Tripodis Y, Huber BR, Alvarez VE, Cherry JD, McKee AC, Stein TD. Neurodegeneration in the cortical sulcus is a feature of chronic traumatic encephalopathy and associated with repetitive head impacts. Acta Neuropathol. 2024 Dec 6;148(1):79. doi: 10.1007/s00401-024-02833-8. PMID: 39643767; PMCID: PMC11624223.

Abdolmohammadi B, Tuz-Zahra F, Uretsky M, Nicks R, Mosaheb S, Labonte J, Yhang E, Durape S, Martin B, Palmisano J, Nowinski C, Cherry JD, Alvarez VE, Huber BR, Dams-O’Connor K, Crary J, Dwyer B, Daneshvar DH, Goldstein LE, Au R, Katz DI, Kowall NW, Cantu RC, Stern RA, Alosco ML, Stein TD, Tripodis Y, McKee AC, Mez J. Duration of Ice Hockey Play and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Dec 2;7(12):e2449106. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.49106. PMID: 39630446; PMCID: PMC11618473.

Walsh M, Uretsky M, Tripodis Y, Nowinski CJ, Rasch A, Bruce H, Ryder M, Martin BM, Palmisano JN, Katz DI, Dwyer B, Daneshvar DH, Walley AY, Kim TW, Goldstein LE, Stern RA, Alvarez VE, Huber BR, McKee AC, Stein TD, Mez J, Alosco ML. Clinical and Neuropathological Correlates of Substance Use in American Football Players. J Alzheimers Dis. 2024;101(3):971-986. doi: 10.3233/JAD-240300. PMID: 39269838.

Alosco ML, White M, Bell C, Faheem F, Tripodis Y, Yhang E, Baucom Z, Martin B, Palmisano J, Dams-O’Connor K, Crary JF, Goldstein LE, Katz DI, Dwyer B, Daneshvar DH, Nowinski C, Cantu RC, Kowall NW, Stern RA, Alvarez VE, Huber BR, Stein TD, McKee AC, Mez J. Cognitive, functional, and neuropsychiatric correlates of regional tau pathology in autopsy-confirmed chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Mol Neurodegener. 2024;19(1):10. Published 2024 Feb 6. doi:10.1186/s13024-023-00697-2

Culhane J.E., Jackson C.E., Tripodis Y, Nowinski C, Dams-O’Connor K, Pettway E, Uretskey M, Abdolmohammadi B, Nair E, Martin B, Palmisano J, Katz D.I., Dwyer B, Daneshvar D.H., Goldstein L, Kowall N.W., Cantu R.C., Stern R.A., Huber B.R., Crary J.F., Mez J, Stein T.D., McKee A.C., Alosco M.L. Lack of association of informant-reported traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. J Neurotrauma; Epub 2024 Apr 15.

Stewart W, Buckland ME, Abdolmohammadi B, Affleck AJ, Alvarez VE, Gilchrist S, Huber BR, Lee EB, Lyall DM, Nowinski CJ, Russell ER, Stein TD, Suter CM, McKee AC. Risk of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in rugby union is associated with length of playing career. Acta Neuropathol. 2023 Dec;146(6):829-832.  doi: 10.1007/s00401-023-02644-3. Epub 2023 Oct 24. PMID: 37872234; PMCID: PMC10627955.

Saltiel, N., Tripodis, Y., Menzin, T., Olaniyan, A., Baucom, Z., Yhang, E., Palmisano, J.N., Martin, B., Uretsky, M., Nair, E., Abdolmohammadi, B., Shah, A., Nicks, R., Nowinski, C., Cantu, R.C., Daneshvar, D.H., Dwyer, B., Katz, D.I., Stern, R.A., Alvarez, V., Huber, B., Boyle, P.A., Schneider, J.A., Mez, J., McKee, A., Alosco, M.L. and Stein, T.D. (2023), Relative contributions of mixed pathologies to cognitive and functional symptoms in brain donors exposed to repetitive head impacts. Ann Neurol. Accepted Author Manuscript.

McKee AC, Mez J, Abdolmohammadi B, Butler M, Huber BR, Uretsky M, Babcock K, Cherry JD, Alvarez VE, Martin B, Tripodis Y, Palmisano JN, Cormier KA, Kubilus CA, Nicks R, Kirsch D, Mahar I, McHale L, Nowinski C, Cantu RC, Stern RA, Daneshvar D, Goldstein LE, Katz DI, Kowall NW, Dwyer B, Stein TD, Alosco ML. Neuropathologic and Clinical Findings in Young Contact Sport Athletes Exposed to Repetitive Head Impacts. JAMA Neurol. 2023 Aug 28:e232907. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2023.2907. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37639244; PMCID: PMC10463175.

Daneshvar DH, Nair ES, Baucom ZH, Rasch A, Abdolmohammadi B, Uretsky M, Saltiel N, Shah A, Jarnagin J, Baugh CM, Martin BM, Palmisano JN, Cherry JD, Alvarez VE, Huber BR, Weuve J, Nowinski CJ, Cantu RC, Zafonte RD, Dwyer B, Crary JF, Goldstein LE, Kowall NW, Katz DI, Stern RA, Tripodis Y, Stein TD, McClean MD, Alosco ML, McKee AC, Mez J. Leveraging football accelerometer data to quantify associations between repetitive head impacts and chronic traumatic encephalopathy in males. Nat Commun. 2023 Jun 20;14(1):3470. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-39183-0. PMID: 37340004; PMCID: PMC10281995.

Alosco ML, Ly M, Mosaheb S, Saltiel N, Uretsky M, Tripodis Y, Martin B, Palmisano J, Delano-Wood L, Bondi MW, Meng G, Xia W, Daley S, Goldstein LE, Katz DI, Dwyer B, Daneshvar DH, Nowinski C, Cantu RC, Kowall NW, Stern RA, Alvarez VE, Mez J, Huber BR, McKee AC, Stein TD. Decreased myelin proteins in brain donors exposed to football-related repetitive head impacts. Brain Commun. 2023; 5(2):fcad019. PMID: 36895961.

Atherton K, Han X, Chung J, Cherry JD, Baucom Z, Saltiel N, Nair E, Abdolmohammadi B, Uretsky M, Khan MM, Shea C, Durape S, Martin BM, Palmisano JN, Farrell K, Nowinski CJ, Alvarez VE, Dwyer B, Daneshvar DH, Katz DI, Goldstein LE, Cantu RC, Kowall NW, Alosco ML, Huber BR, Tripodis Y, Crary JF, Farrer L, Stern RA, Stein TD, McKee AC, Mez J. Association of APOE Genotypes and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. JAMA Neurol. 2022 Jun 27. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2022.1634. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35759276.

LeClair J, Weuve J, Fox MP, Mez J, Alosco ML, Nowinski C, McKee A, Tripodis Y. Selection Bias Analysis Supports Dose-Response Relationship between Level of American Football Play and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Diagnosis. Am J Epidemiol. 2022 Apr 16. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwac075. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35434739.

Daneshvar DH, Mez J, Alosco ML, Baucom ZH, Mahar I, Baugh CM, Valle JP, Weuve J, Paganoni S, Cantu RC, Zafonte RD, Stern RA, Stein TD, Tripodis Y, Nowinski CJ, McKee AC. Incidence of and Mortality from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in National Football League Athletes. JAMA Open. 2021 Dec; 4(12): e2138801.

Alosco ML, Mian AZ, Buch K, Farris CW, Uretsky M, Tripodis Y, Baucom Z, Martin B, Palmisano J, Puzo C, Ang TFA, Joshi P, Goldstein LE, Au R, Katz DI, Dwyer B, Daneshvar DH, Nowinski CJ, Cantu RC, Kowall NW, Huber BR, Alvarez VE, Stern RA, Stein TD, Killiany RJ, McKee AC, Mez J. Structural MRI profiles and tau correlates of atrophy in autopsy-confirmed CTE. Alzheimers Res Ther. 2021 Dec 7;13(1):193. doi: 10.1186/s13195-021-00928-y. PMID: 34876229; PMCID: PMC8653514.

Adams, J.W., Alosco, M.L., Mez, J, Nowinski CJ et al. Association of probable REM sleep behavior disorder with pathology and years of contact sports play in chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Acta Neuropathol (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-020-02206-x

Mez J, Daneshvar DH, Abdolmohammadi B, Chua AS, Alosco ML, Kiernan PT, Evers L, Marshall L, Martin BM, Palmisano JN, Nowinski CJ, Mahar I, Cherry JD, Alvarez VE, Dwyer B, Huber BR, Stein TD, Goldstein LE, Katz DI, Cantu RC, Au R, Kowall NW, Stern RA, McClean MD, Weuve J, Tripodis Y, McKee AC. Duration of American Football Play and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Ann Neurol. 2020 Jan;87(1):116-131. doi: 10.1002/ana.25611. Epub 2019 Nov 23

Cherry JD, Mez J, Crary JF, Tripodis Y, Alvarez VE, Mahar I, Huber BR, Alosco ML, Nicks R, Abdolmohammadi B, Kiernan PT, Evers L, Svirsky S, Babcock K, Gardner HM, Meng G, Nowinski CJ, Martin BM, Dwyer B, Kowall NW, Cantu RC, Goldstein LE, Katz DI, Stern RA, Farrer LA, McKee AC, Stein TD. Variation in TMEM106B in chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2018 Nov 4;6(1):115.

Adams JW, Alvarez VE, Mez J, Huber BR, Tripodis Y, Xia W, Meng G, Kubilus CA, Cormier K, Kiernan PT, Daneshvar DH, Chua AS, Svirsky S, Nicks R, Abdolmohammadi B, Evers L, Solomon TM, Cherry JD, Aytan N, Mahar I, Devine S, Auerbach S, Alosco ML, Nowinski CJ, Kowall NW, Goldstein LE, Dwyer B, Katz DI, Cantu RC, Stern RA, Au R, McKee AC, Stein TD. Lewy Body Pathology and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Associated With Contact Sports. Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology. Published online July 25, 2018

Alosco ML, Mez J, Tripodis Y, Kiernan PT, Abdolmohammadi B, Murphy L, Kowall NW, Stein TD, Huber BR, Goldstein LE, Cantu RC, Katz DI, Chaisson CE, Martin B, Solomon TM, McClean MD, Daneshvar DH, Nowinski CJ, Stern RA and McKee AC. Age of First Exposure to Tackle Football and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Ann Neurol. Published online April 30, 2018. doi:10.1002/ana.25245

Alosco ML, Kasimis AB, Stamm JM, Chua AS, Baugh CM, Daneshvar DH, Robbins CA, Mariani M, Hayden J, Conneely S, Au R, Torres A, McClean MD, McKee AC, Cantu RC, Mez J, Nowinski CJ, Martin BM, Chaisson CE, Tripodis Y, Stern RA. Age of first exposure to American football and long-term neuropsychiatric and cognitive outcomes. Translational Psychiatry. 2017; 7(9):e1236

Clinical Studies

Aaronson A, Badlam G, Mulayi SC, Tuz-Zahra F, Goostrey KJ, Tripodis Y, Cole-French WS, Roebuck M, Schneider G, Pine BN, Palmisano JN, Martin BM, Zavitz KH, Katz DI, Nowinski CJ, McKee AC, Stein TD, Mackin RS, McClean MD, Weuve J, Mez J, Weiner MW, Nosheny RL, Stern RA, Alosco ML. Cognitive and Neuropsychiatric Function in Former American Football Players. JAMA Netw Open. 2026 Feb 2;9(2):e2560077. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.60077

Alosco ML, Mejía Pérez J, Culhane JE, Shankar R, Nowinski CJ, Bureau S, Mundada N, Smith K, Amuiri A, Asken B, Groh JR, Miner A, Pettway E, Mosaheb S, Tripodis Y, Windon C, Mercier G, Stern RA, Grinberg LT, Soleimani-Meigooni DN, Christian BT, Betthauser TJ, Stein TD, McKee AC, Mathis CA, Abrahamson EE, Ikonomovic MD, Johnson SC, Mez J, La Joie R, Schonhaut D, Rabinovici GD. 18F-MK-6240 tau PET in patients at-risk for chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Mol Neurodegener. 2025 Feb 25; 20(1):23.

Rubin LH, Du Y, Sweeney SE, O’Toole R, Thomas CL, Zandi AG, Shinehouse LK, Brosnan MK, Nam H, Burke ME, Bureau SC, Kilgore JJ, Yoon M, Soule AR, Lesniak WG, Minn I, Rowe SP, Holt DP, Hall AW, Mathews WB, Smith GS, Nowinski CJ, Kassiou M, Dannals RF, Pomper MG, Coughlin JM. Imaging Brain Injury in Former National Football League Players. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Oct 2;6(10):e2340580. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.40580. PMID: 37902750; PMCID: PMC10616723.

Bruce HJ, Tripodis Y, McClean M, Korell M, Tanner CM, Contreras B, Gottesman J, Kirsch L, Karim Y, Martin B, Palmisano J, Abdolmohammadi B, Shih LC, Stein TD, Stern RA, Adler CH, Mez J, Nowinski C, McKee AC, Alosco ML. American Football Play and Parkinson Disease Among Men. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Aug 1;6(8):e2328644. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.28644. PMID: 37566412; PMCID: PMC10422187.

Concussion Studies

Petrie FJ, Howarth N, Bureau SC, Nowinski CJ, Woodward JS, Lockett I. E-concussion? an investigation of the representation of head impact events and concussion within popular sport-based video games. PLoS One. 2025 Jul 22;20(7):e0328627. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0328627. PMID: 40694542.

Cantu RC, Sills AK, Alosco ML, Arbogast KB, Bazarian JJ, Bieniek KF, Crandall JR, Iverson GL, Katz DI, Keene CD, Leddy JJ, Mack CD, McKee AC, Meehan WP, Mez J, Nowinski CJ, Okonkwo DO, Solomon GS, Stein TD, Tartaglia MC, Zafonte RD, Daneshvar DH. Prevention of concussion and long-term effects of repetitive traumatic brain injury: Unanimous consensus from the Cantu Concussion Summit. PM R. 2025 May;17(5):563-566. doi: 10.1002/pmrj.13332. Epub 2025 Mar 5. PMID: 40040623.

Nowinski CJ, Bureau SC, Rhim HC, Zafonte RD, Cantu RC, Daneshvar DH. Spontaneous Headshake after a Kinematic Event (SHAAKE): Evaluating the Utility of a Potential New Sign in the Diagnosis of Concussion. Diagnostics. 2024; 14(20):2314. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14202314

Nowinski CJ, Rhim HC, McKee AC, Zafonte RD, Dodick DW, Cantu RC, Daneshvar DH. ‘Subconcussive’ is a dangerous misnomer: hits of greater magnitude than concussive impacts may not cause symptoms. Br J Sports Med. 2024 Jul 1;58(14):754-756. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2023-107413. PMID: 38719575; PMCID: PMC11228231.

Reviews & Advocacy

Alosco ML, Morrison M, Au R, Steinberg EG, Mwicigi J, Ly M, Altaras C, Lenio S, Abdennadher M, O’Connor MK, Tripodis Y, Palmisano J, Dixon D, Martin B, Schneider G, Groh JR, Ellison A, Sheppard D, Farris CW, Nowinski C, Cantu RC, Turk KW, Farrer L, Jun G, Goldstein LE, Qiu WQ, Stein TD, Budson AE, McKee AC, Mez J. Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Clinical Core: Infrastructure to facilitate research on post-traumatic Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Alzheimers Dement. 2025 Sep;21(9):e70654. doi: 10.1002/alz.70654. PMID: 40923312.

Howarth NE, Ji C, Batten J, Pearce AJ, Dawes H, White AJ, DeLuca G, Bureau S, Nowinski CJ, Miller MA. Neurodegenerative Disease and Association Football (NDAF): Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 May 7

Nowinski CJ, Bureau SC, Buckland ME, Curtis MA, Daneshvar DH, Faull RLM, Grinberg LT, Hill-Yardin EL, Murray HC, Pearce AJ, Suter CM, White AJ, Finkel AM, Cantu RC. Applying the Bradford Hill Criteria for Causation to Repetitive Head Impacts and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Front Neurol. 2022 Jul 22;13:938163. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2022.938163. PMID: 35937061; PMCID: PMC9355594.

Uretsky, Madeline and Nowinski, Christopher. CTE: Advocacy and Communicating with the Public. Seminars in Neurology. 2019 Dec 21.