July 29, 2025

expert comments about CTE, following reports that New York gunman claimed he had the condition

Scientists comment on Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) after reports that a New York gunman claimed he had the condition.

Prof Louise Serpell, Professor of Biochemistry and a Director of Sussex Neuroscience, University of Sussex, said:

“CTE is Chronic Traumatic encephalopathy, a neurodegenerative brain disease often resulting from repetitive head injury. It was first described in sports such as Boxing and American football but is also noted in ex-military and in domestic violence cases.

“Symptoms are predominantly mood and personality changes, memory impairment but these vary in difference individuals. It has been diagnosed in several members of the 1966 English football team thought to arise from repetitive head injury perhaps from heading the heavy leather balls.

“In scientific terms, CTE is associated with the accumulation of amyloid fibrils formed by the self-assembly of the tau protein predominantly which accumulates in brain cells. This means it is classed as a neurodegenerative disease known as Tauopathy.”

Declared interests

Prof Louise Serpell: None