# Contributions of mild traumatic brain injury to neurodegeneration due to chronic traumatic encephalopathy and alzheimer's disease

> **NIH VA IK2** · VA BOSTON HEALTH CARE SYSTEM · 2020 · —

## Abstract

Understanding the risks mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) poses for neurodegeneration is critically
important for Veterans. Single and repetitive mTBI is common in Veterans, with as many as 17%
reporting mTBI during deployment. TBI has been reported as one of the strongest environmental risk
factors associated with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and repetitive mTBI has been associated
with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). However, there is ongoing debate as to whether mTBI
outside of sports, which represents the vast majority of brain injuries, results in neurodegenerative
changes. Studies investigating the overlap of AD and CTE, two potentially co-occurring
neurodegenerative conditions, are few and more are needed. This proposal examines the contribution
of mTBI to neurodegeneration with the intent of detecting behavioral and biomarker evidence of
neurodegeneration due AD and CTE in Veterans. Our hypothesis is that, after correcting for age, it is
possible to separate the hallmarks of brain trauma related to TBI itself, from deficits related to
neurodegeneration. [We will examine recognition memory, separating recollection and familiarity as a
model of the cognitive changes underlying potential neurodegeneration in mTBI. As measures of
recognition memory, recollection and familiarity are ideal for use in the mTBI population—at risk for
neurodegeneration—as they have previously been used to detect neurodegeneration in AD. Our
hypothesis is that subjects with more mTBIs and more time since their mTBIs will be more likely to
develop neurodegeneration due to AD or CTE, leading to relative decreases in recollection and,
eventually, decreases in familiarity as well once the disease reaches the mild dementia stage. In
addition to these behavioral techniques, complimentary data regarding the underpinnings of these
cognitive processes provided by event-related potentials (ERPs), MRI, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
will allow further separation of possible AD and CTE. A total of 220 veterans will be recruited consisting
of 65 younger adult veterans with a history of mTBI, 65 older adult veterans with mTBI, 30 older
veterans with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) but lacking a history of mTBI to act as cognitive controls,
as well as 30 younger healthy control veterans without a history of mTBI and 30 older healthy control
veterans without a history of mTBI.] The primary aims will be explored within the mTBI cohort using
regression analyses for the relations between [total number of life time mTBIs], time since [first lifetime]
mTBI, and outcomes of interest including behavioral, ERP, MRI measures and CSF measures.
Multivariate linear mixed-effects models will be used to examine differences between mTBI subjects
and non-mTBI controls for all outcomes measures. The models will be adjusted for age, [education,
APOE status] and other potential confounding factors. The research and career development activities
proposed will prepare Dr. Turk for her ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10011975
- **Project number:** 1IK2CX002065-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** VA BOSTON HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
- **Principal Investigator:** Katherine W Turk
- **Activity code:** IK2 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-07-01 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10011975

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10011975, Contributions of mild traumatic brain injury to neurodegeneration due to chronic traumatic encephalopathy and alzheimer's disease (1IK2CX002065-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10011975. Licensed CC0.

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