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Microglial neuroinflammation contributes to tau accumulation in chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Cherry JD, Tripodis Y, Alvarez VE, Huber B, Kiernan PT, Daneshvar DH, Mez J, Montenigro PH et al.. Acta neuropathologica communications, 2016-10-28
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
The chronic effects of repetitive head impacts (RHI) on the development of neuroinflammation and its relationship to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) are unknown. Here we set out to determine the relationship between RHI exposure, neuroinflammation, and the development of hyperphosphorylated tau (ptau) pathology and dementia risk in CTE. We studied a cohort of 66 deceased American football athletes from the Boston University-Veteran's Affairs-Concussion Legacy Foundation Brain Bank as well as 16 non-athlete controls.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Cherry, J. D., Tripodis, Y., Alvarez, V. E., Huber, B., Kiernan, P. T., Daneshvar, D. H., et al. (2016). Microglial neuroinflammation contributes to tau accumulation in chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Acta neuropathologica communications. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40478-016-0382-8
Vancouver
Cherry JD, Tripodis Y, Alvarez VE, Huber B, Kiernan PT, Daneshvar DH, et al. Microglial neuroinflammation contributes to tau accumulation in chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Acta neuropathologica communications. 2016. doi:10.1186/s40478-016-0382-8. PMID: 27793189.
BibTeX
@article{cherry2016-27793189,
author = {Cherry, J. D. and Tripodis, Y. and Alvarez, V. E. and Huber, B. and Kiernan, P. T. and Daneshvar, D. H. and Mez, J. and Montenigro, P. H. and others},
title = {{Microglial neuroinflammation contributes to tau accumulation in chronic traumatic encephalopathy}},
journal = {Acta neuropathologica communications},
year = {2016},
doi = {10.1186/s40478-016-0382-8},
pmid = {27793189},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s40478-016-0382-8}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Here we set out to determine the relationship between RHI exposure, neuroinflammation, and the development of hyperphosphorylated tau (ptau) pathology and dementia risk in CTE.
- We studied a cohort of 66 deceased American football athletes from the Boston University-Veteran's Affairs-Concussion Legacy Foundation Brain Bank as well as 16 non-athlete controls.
- Subjects with a neurodegenerative disease other than CTE were excluded.
- Counts of total and activated microglia, astrocytes, and ptau pathology were performed in the dorsolateral frontal cortex (DLF).
Why it matters
In donated brains from 66 American football players and 16 non-athlete controls, researchers counted inflammatory immune cells (microglia), astrocytes and abnormal tau in one frontal brain region to ask how repeated head impacts relate to brain inflammation, tau build-up and dementia risk in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The authors report that microglial inflammation is linked to tau accumulation in CTE, a condition distinct from Alzheimer's disease; people with other brain diseases, including Alzheimer's, were excluded. This is an observational study of donated tissue: it shows an association, not cause and effect, and offers no treatment or prevention.
Study details
- Effect sizeOR = 1.010; OR = 1.055
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 55/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Acta neuropathologica communications) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Acta Neuropathologica Communications: journal h-index 129 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2016 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 3 / 3 | Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 288 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 24.0 citations a year over 12 year(s) since 2016 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 21.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 18 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 72 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Thor D. Stein: h-index 64 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Boston University: institution h-index 1,456 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 27793189) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 55 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1186/s40478-016-0382-8
- PubMed: 27793189
- Original source →
- Free full text: Acta Neuropathologica Communications →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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