NFL-At least one-in-four former players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE, study shows
A study found that at least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The study's lead author, Daniel Daneshvar, said that repeated traumatic brain injuries are a known factor in elevated rates of neurodegene…
Intelligence analysis by Llama
A study released on Tuesday found that at least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The study's lead author, Daniel Daneshvar, said that repeated traumatic brain injuries are a known factor in elevated rates of neurodegenerative disease.
Imagine your brain is like a computer. When you get hit in the head, it's like someone is deleting files from your computer. If you get hit too many times, your computer (brain) can get damaged and not work properly. This is what happens with CTE, a disease that can only be diagnosed after death. The study found that many former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE, which means they got hit too many times in the head.
Analysis
NFL Players and CTE: A Growing Concern
The study released on Tuesday found that at least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This is a degenerative disease that can only be definitively diagnosed after death. The study's lead author, Daniel Daneshvar, said that repeated traumatic brain injuries are a known factor in elevated rates of neurodegenerative disease.
The study from Mass General Brigham, Boston University, and the Concussion & CTE Foundation also found that dementia was common among brain donors. Researchers are urging prevention measures that focus on cutting down on repetitive head impacts across all levels of the sport.
The NFL's 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement limited the number of contact practices during the season. However, more needs to be done to protect players' health. The Ivy League banned full-contact tackling during practices five years later, and the Supreme Court cleared the way for the NFL's settlement of concussion-related lawsuits with thousands of retired players in 2016.
The study's findings highlight the need for prevention measures that focus on cutting down on repetitive head impacts across all levels of the sport. The NFL's 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement limited the number of contact practices during the season, but more needs to be done to protect players' health.
The study's lead author, Daniel Daneshvar, said that repeated traumatic brain injuries are a known factor in elevated rates of neurodegenerative disease. He added that the bulk of the head impacts that these former NFL players experienced didn't occur at the NFL level. They occurred at the collegiate level, high school level, and in many cases, the youth level.
The cumulative hits to the head added up to result in an increased risk. Daneshvar urged current and former athletes experiencing cognitive symptoms to seek a neurodegenerative disease expert evaluation. He said that nearly 70 per cent of head impacts are occurring in practice, and without changing a single minute of game time at any of those levels, we can be substantially reducing the cumulative head impact burden that these individuals are experiencing throughout their lives.
Key points
- A study found that at least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
- The study's lead author, Daniel Daneshvar, said that repeated traumatic brain injuries are a known factor in elevated rates of neurodegenerative disease.
- The study found that dementia was common among brain donors.
- Researchers are urging prevention measures that focus on cutting down on repetitive head impacts across all levels of the sport.
- The NFL's 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement limited the number of contact practices during the season, but more needs to be done to protect players' health.
If the NFL and other sports leagues implement prevention measures that focus on cutting down on repetitive head impacts, athletes will be better off. This could include limiting the number of contact practices during the season, banning full-contact tackling during practices, and providing resources for athletes to identify and seek treatment when they are concerned about their health.
If the NFL and other sports leagues do not implement prevention measures that focus on cutting down on repetitive head impacts, athletes will continue to experience an increased risk of neurodegenerative disease. This could lead to more cases of CTE and other brain injuries, which can have serious consequences for athletes' health and well-being.
