Nearly all National Football League players suffer from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
According to the study, "CTE was neuropathologically diagnosed in 177 players across all levels of play (87%), including 110 of 111 former National Football League players (99%)." View the complete study findings here.
Sientists set up a "brain bank" in 2008 with the goal of determining "the neuropathological and clinical features of deceased football players with CTE."
"The purpose of the brain bank was to comprehensively examine the neuropathology and clinical presentation of brain donors considered at risk of development of CTE," doctors wrote in their report.
The study, titled "Clinicopathological Evaluation of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Players of American Football," offers these results:
Among 202 deceased former football players (median age at death, 66 years [interquartile range, 47-76 years]), CTE was neuropathologically diagnosed in 177 players (87%; median age at death, 67 years [interquartile range, 52-77 years]; mean years of football participation, 15.1 [SD, 5.2]), including 0 of 2 pre–high school, 3 of 14 high school (21%), 48 of 53 college (91%), 9 of 14 semiprofessional (64%), 7 of 8 Canadian Football League (88%), and 110 of 111 National Football League (99%) players. Neuropathological severity of CTE was distributed across the highest level of play, with all 3 former high school players having mild pathology and the majority of former college (27 [56%]), semiprofessional (5 [56%]), and professional (101 [86%]) players having severe pathology. Among 27 participants with mild CTE pathology, 26 (96%) had behavioral or mood symptoms or both, 23 (85%) had cognitive symptoms, and 9 (33%) had signs of dementia. Among 84 participants with severe CTE pathology, 75 (89%) had behavioral or mood symptoms or both, 80 (95%) had cognitive symptoms, and 71 (85%) had signs of dementia.
Former NFL player describes shocking incident
ClickOnDetroit recently did a report about former NFL player Brian Price who is shown on video acting erratically. Price is shown agitated and eventually running through the doors of a store in Ypsilanti Township.
Price said he doesn't even remember the episode. He only remembers coming to with blood in his mouth.
His wife believes he is suffering from CTE.