Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy
Over the last ten years, research by BU and other institutions has studied the heightened risk that American Football players face regarding neurodegenerative diseases, and particularly CTE (Clinicopathological Evaluation of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Players of American Football. JAMA. 2017;). At one point, CTE was thought to be limited to NFL and Collegiate athletes, but is now being found in even younger athletes (ie high school) that have died by suicide or natural causes, who have donated their brains to the brain banks (See Concussion Legacy Foundation). At this point, it seems that contact sports like football are a serious impediment to a long and healthy life. Could you do an episode that investigates the potential risk of CTE as well as potential treatments from the longevity stack (ie rapamycin, hyperbaric oxygen, photobiomodulation, any others). This could serve as a PSA to parents who are trying to evaluate the risk of contact sports, as well as an aide to the thousands of people in middle age that have played contact sports and would like to do their best to mitigate the long term effects of repetitive head impacts.
Physical Fitness Tests for Patients
Peter has referred to a series of approximately ten physical longevity tests with age-based targets that he uses to assess his patients. Could you share more details on the specific tests (and targets) you use with your patients as well as the longevity data behind each?