Neurologist found protein associated with CTE in Kosta Karageorge's brain
A neurologist who posthumously examined the brain of former Ohio State football player Kosta Karageorge said she found a protein that's associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Karageorge, who wrestled at Ohio State and was a walk-on defensive lineman for the Buckeyes, committed suicide in November 2014. The New York Times published a detailed profile of Karageorge and his family on Tuesday and his parents said their son had suffered approximately 15 concussions throughout his life.
About a year later, the Karageorges received a report from Ann McKee, the neuropathologist who posthumously examined his brain.
She said there were traces of past microhemorrhaging in Karageorge’s prefrontal cortex. Damage in that area, McKee explained, usually leads to cognitive issues involving “impulsivity, dis-inhibition, poor judgment and maybe even suicidal ideation.”She pointed out, though, that it was impossible to definitively link his suicide to any brain trauma he had sustained in sports.
McKee also found a single focus of Tau — the protein associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease found in dozens of former football players. She diagnosed Stage 1 C.T.E., on her scale of 1 to 4.
A coroner who examined Karageorge after his death said he did not have CTE. The coroner did say he found evidence of previous concussions.
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Karageorge's multiple concussions became known after his death as friends said they were aware of his medical history. He suffered a his last-known concussion during the 2014 season in practice.
According to the profile, the symptoms Karageorge experienced in the fall of 2014 were so severe that he couldn't look at his phone screen because of its brightness. Former Ohio State teammate Michael Bennett had previously said Karageorge had been reluctant to report his concussions and his parents also said he wasn't always forthcoming with details.
“We raised our son to be a strong man, and maybe that was his downfall,” George Karageorge said. “He wasn’t complaining and crying. My wife coddled him, but I was more: ‘One of these days you’re going to be depended upon to step forward.’”
Rubbing his forehead, George said, “There’s a ton of guilt there.”
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!