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Study finds 1 in 4 former NFL players had CTE at death
A study found that 1 in 4 former NFL players had CTE at death.
WASHINGTON - As high school football players prepare for the start of the season, a new study is highlighting the long-term dangers of repetitive head impacts and their link to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
What we know:
The study, conducted at Mass General Brigham, examined the brains of 330 former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021. The study also compiled a list of every player who appeared in at least one game since 1949. The results revealed that 93% of the donated brains showed signs of CTE, a degenerative brain disease.
Dr. Daniel Daneshvar of Harvard University noted that the general population sees a CTE rate of less than %. The rate among NFL players is starkly higher.
"To see that at the absolute minimum the lowest rate of CTE in NFL players was 25% was alarming. Now that's at the one end. At the other end, the maximum rate of CTE in NFL players is 98%. So the true rate is going to be somewhere between those two extremes," Dr. Daneshvar said.
Currently, CTE can only be diagnosed after death through brain tissue donated to researchers by players or their families. While there is no cure, symptoms can be managed using personalized treatment plans based on a player's specific experiences.
Researchers stress that CTE is caused by repeated head impacts, which can begin early in life. The disease has been diagnosed in individuals as young as 15 and 17 years old.
"Fortunately, not a lot of these individuals at that age are passing away, and we're looking at their brains, but we can see those earliest lesions that young," Dr. Daneshvar said.
Big picture view:
Dr. Daneshvar explained that prevention is the best option, which means limiting repetitive head hits. Because about 70% of these impacts occur during practice, he suggests youth teams adopt the NFL model by restricting contact to just one practice per week.
Former eight-year NFL player John Booty emphasized the importance of the research in raising awareness and preparing athletes for potential long-run health impacts, noting the personal toll the disease has taken on the football community.
"As a former player and players that I know in the past that have committed—some former teammates of mine who have committed suicide from CTE, it's eye-opening," Booty said. "Bringing the awareness that it's a tough sport and it can play a role to hurt us, you know, in the long run. But at the same time, by doing tests like this and studies, it gives us an opportunity to be prepared and understand what can happen."
Researchers hope findings like these will continue to expand understanding of CTE and drive protective changes in how football is played, from youth leagues to the professional level.
The Source: Information in this article is from Mass General Brigham and original FOX 5 DC reporting.