At least one in four NFL players could develop chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive brain disease linked to repeated head impacts, new research suggests.
Researchers found CTE in 215 of 878 former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021, meaning 24.5 percent have died with CTE. The study was led by Dr. Daniel Daneshvar, a physician and researcher at Mass General Brigham and Harvard Medical School, along with researchers from Boston University and other institutions.
That figure may underestimate how common CTE is among former NFL players. Researchers examined the brains of 235 of the 878 players who died during the study period, leaving 643 brains unexamined.
CTE is caused by repeated head impacts and can only be definitively diagnosed after death. It is extremely rare without repeated head trauma. The disease can cause memory loss, confusion, mood changes, impaired decision-making, impulsive behavior and addiction, according to the American Brain Foundation.
CTE was first identified in boxers nearly a century ago and has since been found in other athletes exposed to repeated head impacts, including hockey, rugby, soccer, wrestling and bobsledding. Researchers have also found evidence suggesting military personnel exposed to repeated blasts may be at risk.
#researchers #died
Researchers found CTE in 215 of 878 former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021, meaning 24.5 percent have died with CTE. The study was led by Dr. Daniel Daneshvar, a physician and researcher at Mass General Brigham and Harvard Medical School, along with researchers from Boston University and other institutions.
That figure may underestimate how common CTE is among former NFL players. Researchers examined the brains of 235 of the 878 players who died during the study period, leaving 643 brains unexamined.
CTE is caused by repeated head impacts and can only be definitively diagnosed after death. It is extremely rare without repeated head trauma. The disease can cause memory loss, confusion, mood changes, impaired decision-making, impulsive behavior and addiction, according to the American Brain Foundation.
CTE was first identified in boxers nearly a century ago and has since been found in other athletes exposed to repeated head impacts, including hockey, rugby, soccer, wrestling and bobsledding. Researchers have also found evidence suggesting military personnel exposed to repeated blasts may be at risk.
#researchers #died
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