Nearly 75% of former NFL players who died between 2008 and 2023 had this one condition

A new study has raised fresh concerns about the long-term effects of playing in the NFL. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, looked at 2,362 former NFL players who died during the 16-year period. Nearly 75% of former NFL players who died between 2008 and 2023 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease linked to repeated head impacts.Scary NFL study reveals nearly 75% of deceased players had a devastating brain diseaseResearchers from Boston University, Mass General Brigham and the Concussion & CTE Foundation worked together to estimate how common the disease was among the group. The findings are concerning because CTE has been linked to repeated blows to the head, something football players can experience throughout their careers. However, researchers stressed that the 74.5% figure is an estimate, not a confirmed diagnosis for every player included in the study.Of the former players included in the study, 387 had donated brains that were examined for CTE. Researchers found signs of the disease in 362 of them, or 93.5%. That is a very high percentage, but there is an important reason why the researchers did not use it as the final figure for all former NFL players.Families may be more likely to donate a player's brain if their loved one experienced memory problems, personality changes or other cognitive symptoms before death. This means that donated brains may not represent every former player who died during the same period.To account for this, the researchers examined additional records and adjusted their calculations to account for differences between players whose brains were donated and those whose brains were not. After making those adjustments, they estimated that 74.5% of all 2,362 deceased former players had CTE-related changes in their brains.Several famous NFL players have been diagnosed with CTE after death. Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez, who died in 2017 at age 27, was found to have Stage 3 CTE. Former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau, who died in 2012 at age 43, was also diagnosed with CTE after his death.Other notable cases include former Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson, who died in 2011 at age 50, and former NFL quarterback Ken Stabler, who died in 2015 at age 69. Both were found to have CTE through postmortem brain examinations.What is CTE, and why is it concerning? The study also examined dementia among former playersChronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as CTE, is a progressive brain disease associated with repeated head impacts. It has been found in athletes who participated in contact sports, including American football.The disease is linked to an abnormal buildup of a protein called tau in the brain. Possible symptoms associated with CTE include memory loss, difficulty thinking, mood changes and problems with behavior or judgment. However, not everyone with CTE-related brain changes experiences the same symptoms. Some people may have relatively mild changes, while others may experience more serious problems.Another major challenge is that CTE can currently be confirmed only after death through an examination of brain tissue. Doctors cannot definitively diagnose the disease in a living person using routine medical tests. This also means researchers cannot use the new study to determine how many living NFL players currently have CTE.The researchers looked at dementia as a separate issue and estimated that 27.2% of the former NFL players had a history of dementia during their lifetime. Dementia can affect memory, thinking and a person's ability to manage everyday activities. However, it is not the same as CTE, and the two figures should not be confused.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.