Study finds CTE in nearly 75% of ex-NFL players

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 28 Oct, 16:07 · Archive

Nearly 75% of NFL players who died between 2008 and 2023 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head blows.

A Boston University study published in JAMA Network Open found that nearly 75% of NFL players who died between 2008 and 2023 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. CTE is a degenerative brain disease that develops after repeated blows to the head and can only be definitively diagnosed after death.

Of 387 deceased ex-players studied, 362 had some form of CTE. The researchers adjusted their findings to account for selection bias, since former NFL players with cognitive symptoms were five times more likely to donate their brains to science. This adjustment brought the prevalence estimate from 94% among brain donors down to 74.5% across the overall ex-player population. Lead researcher Julia Gallini noted that while CTE is found in less than 1% of donors to community brain banks, its prevalence among deceased NFL players 'is concerning' and suggests the need to support families, improve diagnosis during life, and treat CTE-related symptoms.

How it is being reported

• New study estimates 75% of deceased ex-NFL players had brain disease CTEResearch looked at prevalence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in 2,362 players who died in 2008-2023 A new study published on Wednesday estimates that about 75% of former NFL players who died over a 15-year period had evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The research, published in Jama Network Open and conducted by a Boston-based team, examined the estimated prevalence of the degenerative brain disease among NFL players who died from 2008 through 2023. Researchers found that the estimated rate of CTE among these players was substantially higher than the rates observed in…Guardian World · 28 Oct, 18:04
• Nearly 75% of ex-NFL players who died from 2008-2023 had CTE, study findsNearly 75% of NFL players who died between 2008 and 2023 had CTE, a new study out of Boston University finds.CBS News · 28 Oct, 15:06

In this story: Boston University · JAMA Network Open · Julia Gallini · NFL

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