NFL Players’ Brain Disease Prevalence Higher Than Previously Documented, Study Reveals
New research has found that at least one in four former National Football League (NFL) players who died between 2016 and 2021 exhibited signs of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). This degenerative brain disease, linked to repeated head trauma, was confirmed in 67 out of 260 donated brains analysed by Boston University’s CTE Center. The study, published in JAMA Neurology, suggests the true prevalence of CTE among ex-NFL players could be substantially higher.
Previous studies, often relying on convenience samples, have indicated a higher rate of CTE, with one 2017 analysis finding the condition in 110 of 111 former NFL players. However, this latest research aims to provide a more representative sample by examining all former NFL players whose brains were donated to the Boston University-led UNITE brain bank during the specified five-year period, regardless of prior neurological symptoms.
Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center and co-author of the study, highlighted that while the 25% figure is lower than some prior estimates, it remains a considerable number for a severe neurodegenerative disease. The study acknowledges that the findings are still subject to a degree of selection bias, as individuals with suspected neurological issues are more likely to donate their brains for research. Despite this, the researchers concluded that CTE is a common neuropathological finding among deceased American football players.
