NFL settlement testing may miss measurable cognitive decline in players with advanced CTE
Researchers at Boston University have completed the largest study to date characterizing the cognitive symptoms of NFL players with confirmed chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) who underwent neuropsychological tests while alive. CTE is a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated head impacts that cannot yet be diagnosed accurately during life, in part because its specific symptoms need to…
A new study from Boston University, the largest of its kind, has shed light on the connection between chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in NFL players and cognitive decline during life. The research, published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed 33 players who were diagnosed with CTE post-mortem and participated in the NFL Concussion Settlement's testing program.
The average age at testing was 63, with an average age of death being 65. The study, led by Ph.D. student Anna Aaronson, found that memory problems were the most prevalent cognitive issue, affecting 63% of the participants, particularly short-term memory. Other significant impairments were observed in executive function (52%), language (41%), and attention (26%).
The findings provide valuable information on the cognitive skills most affected by CTE, paving the way for improved diagnosis during life. However, the research also highlights potential limitations of the NFL Concussion Settlement's testing program. Despite advanced CTE pathology in six of seven players with stage 3–4 CTE, all seven received the lowest impairment rating, suggesting that the current criteria may fail to identify clinically detectable cognitive decline.
This discrepancy between the settlement's scoring rules and clinical standards for diagnosing cognitive disorders could result in a suboptimal identification of former players eligible for support and compensation.
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