WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A recent study published in the medical journal JAMA Neurology revealed that about one-third of former football players think they may be experiencing symptoms of CTE, a degenerative brain disease associated with repeated concussions and traumatic brain injuries.
The research, based on a survey conducted by Harvard University, focused on former professional football players who had played between 1960 and 2020.
Out of the 681 respondents, many reported experiencing symptoms linked to CTE, including cognitive difficulties, depressive symptoms, low testosterone, headaches, and pain.
Furthermore, over 300 former players mentioned having suicidal thoughts, with 171 of those who believed they had CTE reporting such thoughts, compared to 64 who did not believe they had the condition. Additionally, almost 20% of those who believed they had CTE also indicated a diagnosis of Alzheimer's or another form of dementia.
It's important to note that CTE can only be diagnosed post-mortem, which can lead to uncertainty for players who are concerned about their health. The symptoms of CTE can manifest as memory loss, aggression, confusion, depression, erratic behavior, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping, and they may not appear until months or even years after the initial brain injury.
Rachel Grashow, a neuroscientist at Harvard and the study's lead author said, 'A key takeaway from this study is that many conditions common to former NFL players such as sleep apnea, low testosterone, high blood pressure and chronic pain can cause problems with thinking, memory and concentration. While we wait for advances in CTE research to better address living players' experiences, it is imperative that we identify conditions that are treatable.'
Researchers hope that this approach may help prevent players from mistakenly attributing their symptoms to CTE, which could lead to feelings of hopelessness and self-harm.
Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2024 AFX News
