Chronic traumatic brain damage widespread in former NFL athletes
The findings are "a wake-up call for the NFL and scientific communities," said the lead author of a new study on chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
A staggering number of former National Football League players who passed away between 2016 and 2021 exhibited chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a grave consequence of repeated head impacts, according to a recent study. Researchers analyzed personal data and causes of death for 878 deceased players during the five-year period, when brain donations were at their peak. Out of the 235 athletes whose brains underwent postmortem neurological examination, a staggering 215 had been diagnosed with CTE.
CTE, a progressive brain disease linked to repetitive head trauma prevalent in contact sports such as football and boxing, can only be conclusively diagnosed post-mortem. When researchers expanded their analysis to encompass all football players who succumbed during the study period, they estimated a conservative minimum of nearly 25% had CTE.
This research provides concrete evidence of the detrimental effects that prolonged exposure to head trauma can have on athletes.
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- Chronic Traumatic Brain Damage Widespread in Former NFL Athletes insurancejournal.com
