What was the major need of CTE as discovered by research done in 2001?

Research in 2001 didn't pinpoint one single "major need" for CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) in the way we might think of it today. The understanding of CTE was still in its very early stages. However, a major need identified implicitly by the research of that period was improved diagnostic methods.

While the link between repeated head trauma and dementia was suspected, definitive diagnosis of CTE was (and still is to some extent) only possible through post-mortem examination of brain tissue. The research emphasis in 2001 was on furthering our understanding of the pathology of CTE, identifying its specific biomarkers, and developing in vivo diagnostic tools (i.e., methods to diagnose it in living individuals). This was critically needed to better understand the prevalence, long-term effects, and potential risk factors of the disease. Without improved diagnosis, research on treatment and prevention was severely hampered.