The initial case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in a fully professional rugby union player has been identified in New Zealand. Billy Guyton, who played for the Māori All Blacks, served as a scrum-half in Super Rugby for the Blues and also played for the Hurricanes and Crusaders. He passed away in May at the age of 33.

Guyton’s brain was given to the brain repository at the University of Auckland. On Monday, his family received a summary report, which included the first item stating that there were “alterations consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy”. The diagnosis was verified by Associate Professor Michael Buckland, founder and director of the Australian Sports Brain Bank, as being stage 2 CTE. This stage falls between mild (stage 1) and severe (stage 4) in the levels of this progressive disease.

“The identification of CTE in a youth is important because it suggests how early in life the brain has been impacted by head injuries,” stated Professor Maurice Curtis, co-director of the Auckland brain bank, in an interview with RNZ.

The main factor linked to CTE is a traumatic brain injury, whether it occurs in a single catastrophic event like a car accident or is a result of multiple impacts to the brain over a period of years, such as in contact sports. Participation in these sports for a prolonged period of time is the strongest risk factor for CTE, although Guyton made the choice to retire due to experiencing symptoms from multiple concussions at the age of 28 in 2018.

The Guardian has obtained a report summary that discusses two conditions found in a young brain: cavum septum pellucidum, a fissure linked to traumatic brain injuries, and age-related tau deposits. These deposits are not a definitive indicator of CTE but are frequently found in association.

“We share the family’s concern at his diagnosis,” said New Zealand Rugby. “Any time the rugby community loses a member, especially someone as young and talented as Billy, it is felt deeply.” NZR is concerned about the possibility that repeated head impacts during participation in rugby may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases in later life.”

At this time, CTE can only be diagnosed after death. Advances in science have brought us closer to being able to diagnose this condition in living individuals. Multiple former professional rugby players, such as Steve Thompson (a World Cup winner from England), Alix Popham (from Wales) and Carl Hayman (from the All Blacks) have been identified as potentially having CTE.

A large group of former players have joined forces to take legal action against World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union, and the Welsh Rugby Union. They claim that they were not adequately taken care of while playing and were not informed about the potential link between multiple head injuries and CTE.

According to reports from New Zealand, Guyton, who did not play rugby professionally in England or Wales, is believed to have committed suicide. As a result, his family is currently unable to participate in any proceedings. The coroner was notified of his death when it occurred.

Richard Boardman of Rylands Garth, who is representing the players in their lawsuit, acknowledged that those invested in collision sports must come to terms with the fact that we will unfortunately see numerous premature deaths resulting from players’ neurodegeneration in the upcoming decades.

After death, it is likely that many more individuals will be diagnosed with CTE. It is crucial for these sports to reduce the frequency of high-contact situations for players during their 30-game, 11-month seasons. Playing high-level rugby continues to pose significant risks for brain health.

Source: theguardian.com