Study Puts CTE in About 75% of Ex-NFL Players Who Died

About 75% of former NFL players who died between 2008 and 2023 had evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, according to a new study. It was published on Wednesday in Jama Network Open and carried out by a Boston-based team.

The analysis covered records for 2,362 deceased former players, who spent an average of five years in the league. Nearly 400 of them had donated their brains for examination, and 93.5% of those showed evidence of CTE.

The researchers said it was the first attempt to estimate how widespread the disease was among all former NFL players who died in the period, not only those whose brains were donated. The estimated rate was substantially higher than in the general population. Less than 1% of samples from community-based brain banks contain evidence of CTE, the authors said.

What the findings do and do not show

CTE brings physical changes such as brain atrophy, the loss of brain tissue, and a build-up of tau protein, which is also linked to Alzheimer's disease. It can damage areas that control emotion and behaviour. Possible symptoms include depression, memory problems and severe mood changes.

Having the brain changes does not mean a person will develop dementia or cognitive decline. Some people with the condition never show noticeable symptoms. The researchers estimated that around 27% of the former players in the analysis had dementia.

Yorghos Tripodis, the study's senior author, said in a statement from Mass General Brigham: "We recognize these findings may cause concern for the community of living players and their families." He said the team and others were ready to support them. He added that brain bank discoveries had brought researchers closer to diagnosis during life, after which the main goal would be effective treatments.

The study follows one released in August, which found that at least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE. After that study, the NFL said it continuously strives to make the game safer, including strategies to reduce concussions and head impacts.

Several high-profile players who took their own lives, among them Junior Seau, Dave Duerson and Aaron Hernandez, were found to have had CTE after their brains were analysed.

Source: The Guardian