Organic Psychosyndromes due to Boxing
Abstract
The “punch-drunk” syndrome of boxers was recognized by lay people many years before it received attention from the medical profession. The syndrome included slurred speech, ataxic gait and impaired mental function and so simulated alcoholic intoxication. Martland (1928) gave the first clinical description of its neurological and psychiatric features. These consisted of cerebellar, striatal and pyramidal signs in varying combination together with dementia and sometimes episodic psychotic behaviour. Martland stressed the psychiatric features of the syndrome, and noted that of 23 punch drunk boxers known to him, four were permanently in mental hospitals.
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In the past, based on studies in boxers with extensive neurotrauma exposure, slurred and dysarthric speech, gait problems, Parkinsonism, cognitive impairment, and dementia were considered clinical features.
“In the past, based on studies in boxers with extensive neurotrauma exposure, slurred and dysarthric speech, gait problems, Parkinsonism, cognitive impairment, and dementia were considered clinical features [2, 48, 49].”
From The Need to Separate Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Neuropathology from Clinical Features (2017) · cites this paper as [49]
Cites
Neurological disease in boxers
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Cerebral atrophy associated with boxing
NEUBUERGER, K. T. (1959) · Archives of Neurology And Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archneurpsyc.1959.02340160001001 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
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Military-related traumatic brain injury and neurodegeneration
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“In the past, based on studies in boxers with extensive neurotrauma exposure, slurred and dysarthric speech, gait problems, Parkinsonism, cognitive impairment, and dementia were considered clinical features [2, 48, 49].”
BackgroundPsychiatric phenotypes in chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Mahar, I., Alosco, M. L., & McKee, A. C. (2017) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.08.023 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
- Authors
- Johnson, J.
- Affiliations
- Manchester Royal Infirmary (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Johnson, John
- ORCID
- Johnson, John
- Venue
- British Journal of Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Published
- 1969-01
- Volume
- 115
- Issue
- 518
- Pages
- 45-53
- ISSN
- 0007-1250 (ISSN-L)
- 1472-1465
- OpenAlex
- W2006451350
- Cited by
- 113
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 1.58
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The British Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Traumatic Brain Injury Research
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Martial Arts: Techniques, Psychology, and Education
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neurology and Historical Studies
- Keywords
- boxing, organic psychosyndrome, cerebellar signs, ataxia, slurred speech, dementia, pyramidal signs
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Amnesia, Athletic Injuries, Boxing, Brain Damage, Chronic, Electroencephalography, Humans, Jealousy, Male, Middle Aged, Neurologic Manifestations, Personality Disorders, Pneumoencephalography, Psychological Tests, Psychotic Disorders, Cerebral Ventriculography, Neurocognitive Disorders
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