What Is Dementia Pugilistica And What Does It Affect?

Dementia Pugilistica (DP) is a subtype of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) predominant among athletes and sportspeople who suffer concussion such as wrestlers, boxers, rugby players. Dementia Pugilistica is essentially noticed when the characteristics of dementia set in.

Dementia Pugilistica is also referred to as chronic boxer’s encephalopathy, traumatic boxer’s encephalopathy, boxer’s dementia, chronic traumatic brain injury associated with boxing (CTBI-B), and punch-drunk syndrome.

Symptoms of Dementia Pugilistica progressively develop over a latent period sometimes up to a decade and was first described by a forensic pathologist, Dr. Martland in 1928 when he noted tremors, slowed movement, confusion, and speech problems as characteristics of the condition.

It is not explicitly understood how Dementia Pugilistica occurs, however, loss of neurons, scarring of brain tissue, collection of proteinaceous, senile plaques, hydrocephalus, attenuation of the corpus callosum, diffuse axonal injury, neurofibrillary tangles, and damage to the cerebellum are implicated in this condition and may be related to Alzheimer’s disease.

There is no known cure for Dementia Pugilistica yet, but individuals with this condition may be managed as patients with parkinsonism and Alzheimer’s disease.