前美式足球职业联赛四分卫马特·哈塞尔贝克正参与波士顿大学的一项前沿医学研究，旨在探索在活体患者身上诊断慢性创伤性脑病（CTE）的方法。[1]哈塞尔贝克接受了一系列神经影像学检查和临床评估，包括心理测试、血液采样、MRI和PET扫描。[1]
这项由波士顿大学CTE中心副主任迈克尔·阿洛斯科领导的研究已获得美国国立卫生研究院2025年1500万美元的资金支持。[1]研究在加州、亚利桑那州、德州和佛州等多地设有研究点。[1]当前，CTE仍只能通过尸体病理检查确诊，这促使科学家们寻求在生前识别这一神经退行性疾病的突破口。[1]
哈塞尔贝克在NFL职业生涯（1998-2015年）期间先后效力于绿湾包装工队、西雅图海鹰队、田纳西泰坦队和印第安纳波利斯小马队。[1]他表示在职业生涯早期经历过多次脑震荡，但因当时盛行的"硬汉文化"，具体数字已记不清。[1]阿洛斯科指出，研究人员已将阿尔茨海默病诊断方法应用于CTE研究中，但发现这些方法在CTE的诊断上并不适用，需要寻找CTE特异性的蛋白标志物。[1]
Former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has enrolled in a research program at Boston University aimed at developing methods to diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in living individuals.[1] Hasselbeck underwent a series of psychological tests, blood draws, MRI scans, and PET scans as part of the initiative.[1] The research, led by Michael Alosco, associate director of Boston University's CTE Center, is funded by the National Institutes of Health with $15 million awarded for 2025 and operates across multiple sites in California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida.[1]
Currently, CTE can only be definitively diagnosed after death, making this research significant for the medical field's understanding of the disease.[1] Alosco explained the challenges of adapting existing diagnostic approaches, stating: "We've applied what we've known worked for Alzheimer's disease, but we've learned it does not work for CTE."[1] The research seeks to identify CTE-specific protein markers by combining methods developed for Alzheimer's disease research with new approaches tailored to CTE.[1]
Hasselbeck played quarterback in the NFL from 1998 to 2015 for the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, and Indianapolis Colts.[1] He acknowledged sustaining multiple concussions during his professional career, though he stated the exact number remains unclear due to a "tough guy culture" that existed during his playing years.[1]