A new study estimates that three out of four former NFL players who died between 2008 and 2023 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at the time of death. The disease is associated with repeated hits to the head.
The estimate comes from the research team behind an earlier study, which found CTE in at least 25 percent of retired NFL players who died over a recent six-year period. Most of the other deceased players had not been tested, leaving the disease’s prevalence uncertain. The team used statistical methods to estimate rates among players whose brains were not examined.
The researchers also analyzed brain banks that reflect the general population and estimated that 0.6 percent of people have CTE. The findings highlight a sharp difference between that estimate and the researchers’ calculation for former NFL players.
Sources: The New York Times Health.