A recent study examining donated brain tissue from former National Football League players has revealed a concerning prevalence of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease. The findings suggest that the disease may be widespread among individuals who played professional football.
Researchers analyzed tissue from 338 former NFL players who died between 2008 and 2021 and donated their brains for research. Of this group, 315 were found to have CTE, which represents a possible prevalence of up to 93.2% within the studied cohort. However, if researchers assume conservatively that all unexamined brains were disease-free, the estimated prevalence drops to 18.4%.
The study also noted that among players who did not donate their brains, 16% had dementia listed on their death certificates. While dementia is not synonymous with CTE, this statistic illustrates the difficulty in assuming a lack of disease in non-donated brains.
CTE is characterized as a cumulative disease, meaning it develops over time due to repeated head impacts. These impacts can occur not only during NFL careers but also in earlier stages of football play, including college, high school, and even childhood.
In response to the growing awareness of CTE, the NFL established a concussion protocol in 2011. This protocol aims to sideline players exhibiting any signs of a potential concussion, such as confusion, amnesia, loss of muscle control, or any period of unconsciousness, to mitigate further head trauma.