(Boston) – The widow and daughters of NHL veteran Greg Johnson are releasing the results of his post-mortem brain tissue analysis today through the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) to raise awareness for the long-term effects of concussions and repetitive head impacts in hockey. Johnson, who played 14 seasons in the NHL, died by suicide five years ago this week at age 48. Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center, diagnosed Johnson with CTE, but was unable to definitively stage it due to the manner of death.

“This diagnosis took my breath away,” said Kristin Johnson, Greg Johnson’s wife of 22 years. “Greg’s death shattered our world, and we never once thought this disease was something he struggled with. He experienced very few symptoms that we knew of, but he spoke of his concussions often. I remember the exact moment he told me his heart condition forcing him to retire was a blessing because he couldn’t take another hit. He knew his hockey career had a profound impact on his brain.”

Johnson played hockey for 31 years, beginning at age 5. Never utilized as an enforcer, Johnson was known for his work ethic as a two-way forward. He was the second-ever team captain for the Nashville Predators, where he played from 1998-2006, and is remembered by his teammates as a soft-spoken, quiet leader. Johnson also spent time with the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Detroit Red Wings. He won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 1994 Olympics.

According to the National Institutes of Health, CTE is caused in part by repeated traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Leading scientists consider the presence of CTE to be confirmation of exposure to repeated TBIs, which most frequently occur in the context of repetitive head impacts received while playing contact sports. However, in early-stage cases, it is unclear if symptoms are related to CTE, TBIs, or other factors.

In addition, suicide is complex and multifactorial, and a post-mortem CTE diagnosis should not be considered as the cause of a suicide. However, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with suicide, independent of CTE. A 2019 study found that a diagnosed concussion doubles the risk of suicide. The relationship between TBI, CTE, and suicide has not been formally studied.

“I had no idea what CTE even stood for when my dad took his life,” said Carson Johnson, Greg Johnson’s eldest daughter. “Now understanding that the hits he endured throughout his hockey career damaged his brain, I want all athletes to understand the risks and I want the NHL to start acknowledging it exists and do more to protect its players so other daughters don’t have to lose their fathers.”

According to public records, 17 of 18 NHL players studied in the U.S. and Canada have now been diagnosed with CTE, including fellow Team Canada members Ralph Backstrom, Henri Richard, Stan Mikita, Bob Probert, Steve Montador, and Bob Murdoch. CTE has also been diagnosed in amateur players.

“I’m so proud to have my dad’s legacy attached to this research and know the kindness and generosity he showed others during his life will continue to make a difference for years to come,” said Piper Johnson, Greg Johnson’s youngest daughter. “He truly was the best dad ever, and to lose him to suicide was beyond anything we could imagine. It was awful, but we want to talk about it to help others struggling know they are not alone, and there is help available.”

Help is available for former hockey players and their families struggling with suspected CTE symptoms. The CLF HelpLine provides free, personalized support to patients and families through doctor recommendations, peer support, and resources. Anyone who needs assistance can reach out at CLFHelpline.org.

Kristin, Carson, and Piper Johnson will not be taking any interview requests, and do not plan to speak further on the diagnosis beyond what is in this release. They ask for privacy at this time.

(Boston) – The family of Ray “Ray Ray” Lewis III is announcing the results of his brain tissue analysis through the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) today to educate parents on the risks of youth tackle football and to encourage support for advancing CTE research. Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center, diagnosed Lewis with stage 2 (of 4) chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Lewis died from an accidental overdose in June 2023 at the age of 28.

“Little did I know when I put my son in tackle football at age 5, I ran the risk of having to bury him 22 years later,” said Tatyana McCall, Lewis’ mother. “I would have done something different now knowing the risks. We need to wait until our babies are at least 14 to allow them to play tackle football. It also breaks my heart that you have to die to get a diagnosis for this disease. Our family is committed to doing whatever we can to help raise funds to further the research so scientists can learn how to definitively diagnose CTE during life.”

“We are proud to honor Ray Ray’s legacy by teaching our youth about football safety while sharing and supporting research on CTE,” said Ray Lewis Jr., Ray Lewis III’s father and Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker.

A June 2023 Boston University study found football players’ odds of developing CTE were closely related to the number and strength of head impacts they received over their career. A 2019 study from the same group found the odds of developing CTE may increase by as much as 30 percent with each year of tackle football played.

“Stories like Ray Ray Lewis’ remind us why we need to accelerate efforts to prevent and treat CTE,” said Dr. Chris Nowinski, CLF co-founder and CEO. “We thank his family for their dedication to research, education, and making football safer. Through brain donation, grieving football families have shown us how to make the sport safer. Now it is up to us all to act.”

In the years before his death, Lewis’ family says he experienced issues with his memory, often becoming extremely forgetful, and exhibited erratic, sporadic behavior and impulsivity. McCall suspected he was battling CTE. Lewis played football collegiately at the University of Miami, Coastal Carolina, and Virginia Union before a professional indoor football career.

CTE can only be diagnosed after death. There is no known cure, but treatments are available for many symptoms of the disease. The CLF HelpLine is available to provide personalized support for any current or former athletes concerned about repetitive head trauma and looking for help. Patients and caregivers can submit a request here.

(Boston) – The family of two-time Stanley Cup champion and 1989-90 NHL coach of the year Bob Murdoch is announcing today his stage 3 (of 4) chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) diagnosis. Boston University CTE Center researchers made the diagnosis after Murdoch passed away in August 2023 at age 76. Bev Murdoch is releasing the findings of her husband’s brain study through the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) to raise awareness for the long-term effects of repetitive head impacts in hockey.

“This diagnosis was not a surprise,” said Bev Murdoch, Bob’s wife of 37 years. “He knew, we all knew, intuitively what caused his suffering. So much more needs to be done in professional hockey to acknowledge and prevent CTE. If not, there will be more people like Bob who will lose many years of their lives. It’s not only the athletes who suffer. This disease causes such a significant impact on the family, especially the spouses who become caregivers. For seven years, I watched the love of my life disappear. I want the NHL to stop fighting and stop head hits, period, and start saving lives.”

In 2015 Murdoch, whom teammates called “Mud,” began to experience mild cognitive impairment. Four years later, his doctors told him they believed he had Lewy body dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinsonism. Murdoch suspected CTE was contributing to his symptoms and made the decision to donate his brain to Boston University after his death. The post-mortem study showed that along with severe CTE, Murdoch did have Lewy body disease and mild Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers are studying whether CTE, which would have developed first while Murdoch was playing, may increase the risk of developing additional brain diseases later in life.

“We thank Bev and Bob Murdoch for their support of CTE research and advocacy,” said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank. “I’m disappointed that the NHL still refuses to acknowledge a clear causal relationship between repetitive head impacts and CTE. I wish the commissioner could see the damage these brains endure and the pain this disease causes families.”

According to public records, 16 of 17 NHL players studied in the U.S. and Canada have now been diagnosed with CTE, including Murdoch’s former Montreal teammates Ralph Backstrom and Henri Richard, as well as Stan Mikita, Bob Probert, and Steve Montador. CTE has also been diagnosed in amateur players.

Hockey Hall of Famer Ken Dryden was Murdoch’s close friend and teammate in Montreal and on the Canadian national team. The former Federal Cabinet Minister and CLF Canada supporter has long called for the NHL and all levels of hockey to do more to prevent repetitive head impacts.

“Mud wore a helmet; he wasn’t a fighter,” said Dryden. “The NHL likes to pretend that players like Bob played in a different time. How today’s NHL is so much safer. But it’s all about hits to the head. Gary Bettman, at least in the past the NHLPA, much of the hockey media and many of the player agents may have fooled themselves, but the brain isn’t fooled. Years of a life diminished or taken away. It’s all so avoidable in so many cases. It’s all so wrong.”

Murdoch had a 12-season NHL career as a defenseman, playing for the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, and the Atlanta/Calgary Flames from 1970-82. He won the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1971 and 1973. He later transitioned to coaching, including head coach positions with the Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets. He received the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year in 1990 and helped lead Team Canada to a gold medal at the 1994 World Championships. Murdoch was also a member of the San Jose Sharks’ inaugural coaching staff and spent six years coaching in Germany.

Help is available for former hockey players and their families struggling with suspected CTE symptoms. The CLF HelpLine provides free, personalized support to patients and families through doctor recommendations, peer support, and resources. Anyone who needs assistance can reach out at CLFHelpline.org.

Former and current hockey players, contact sport athletes, and servicemembers are encouraged to get involved in clinical research, and pledge to donate their brains at PledgeMyBrain.org.

Note: Asking for privacy, the Card family will have no further comment and will not be speaking with the media or accepting any interview requests at this time.

(Boston) – The family of Robert Card II is releasing the findings of his brain tissue analysis through the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) today in an effort to help prevent future tragedies. In October 2023, Card killed 18 people and injured more than a dozen others at multiple shootings in Lewiston, Maine before dying by suicide at age 40. The Maine Chief Medical Examiner’s office requested the post-mortem study of Card’s brain by the Boston University CTE Center, led by Ann McKee, MD.

Dr. McKee found Card had significant evidence of traumatic brain injuries at the time of the shootings.

“Robert Card had evidence of traumatic brain injury. In the white matter, the nerve fibers that allow for communication between different areas of the brain, there was significant degeneration, axonal and myelin loss, inflammation, and small blood vessel injury. There was no evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE),” said Dr. McKee, director of the BU CTE Center. “These findings align with our previous studies on the effects of blast injury in humans and experimental models. While I cannot say with certainty that these pathological findings underlie Mr. Card’s behavioral changes in the last 10 months of life, based on our previous work, brain injury likely played a role in his symptoms.”

Further studies on Card’s brain are being allowed by the family to continue supporting Dr. McKee’s research.

Card was a U.S. Army Reservist and a longtime instructor at an Army hand grenade training range, where it is believed he was exposed to thousands of low-level blasts.

“We want to begin by saying how deeply sorry and heartbroken we are for all the victims, survivors, and their loved ones, and to everyone in Maine and beyond who was affected and traumatized by this tragedy. We are hurting for you and with you, and it is hard to put into words how badly we wish we could undo what happened. While we cannot go back, we are releasing the findings of Robert’s brain study with the goal of supporting ongoing efforts to learn from this tragedy to ensure it never happens again. We thank the Maine Chief Medical Examiner’s office for requesting the brain analysis. We know it does not fully explain Robert’s actions, nor is it an excuse for the horrific suffering he caused, but we thank Dr. McKee for helping us understand his brain damage and how it may have impacted his mental health and behavior. By releasing these findings, we hope to raise awareness of traumatic brain injury among military service members, and we encourage more research and support for military service members with traumatic brain injuries. Our hearts remain with the victims, survivors, and their families.”

– The Family of Robert Russell Card II

1 in 6 people with high-stage CTE found to have distinct disease pattern that may lower dementia risk but increase behavioral problems

(Boston) – The widow of New Orleans Saints legend Henry Childs is announcing today that Boston University CTE Center researchers diagnosed Childs with a newly identified form of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) called cortical-sparing CTE (CSCTE). Childs passed away in 2016 at age 65 after a heart attack. This is the first time Cyndy Childs has been public with her late husband’s diagnosis.

CTE is a neurodegenerative disease defined by abnormal tau protein accumulating in a particular pattern in specific regions of the brain. Studies to date suggest CTE begins in the outermost layer of the frontal lobe, the neocortex, where it then spreads to connected brain regions. Later, in high-stage disease, there is involvement of deeper regions of the brain, like the medial temporal lobe and brainstem.

In a new study from the BU CTE Center published Monday, researchers found one in six individuals with high-stage CTE had surprisingly low levels of tau pathology in their neocortex. CSCTE instead showed a higher concentration of tau pathology in the medial temporal lobe and brainstem regions. The individuals with CSCTE, like Childs, were less likely to have dementia and had less severe cognitive impairment compared to those with typical CTE, but they did tend to have earlier onset of behavioral and movement symptoms.

“Henry was a kind, gregarious man with such a big personality,” said Cyndy Childs. “It was very hard to watch him become more short-tempered, emotional, and socially withdrawn. I know he would have been proud to contribute to research and I’m hopeful by sharing his diagnosis, the science will continue to advance to help others.”

Childs is regarded as one of the best tight ends in Saints history, playing seven of his 11 NFL seasons there, including in 1979, when he was selected to the Pro Bowl. He was inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame in 1994.

Researchers believe further studies are needed to confirm the existence of CSCTE and to understand its clinical implications, but they believe this finding could have important implications for the diagnosis and treatment of CTE.

“If CSCTE is confirmed to be a distinct subtype of CTE, it may be necessary to develop new diagnostic tools and treatment approaches that are specifically tailored to this form of the disease,” said corresponding author Thor Stein, MD, PhD, a neuropathologist at VA Boston and Bedford Healthcare Systems and associate professor of pathology & laboratory medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. “This could help us understand why people with CTE can have different symptoms and, ultimately, lead to improved outcomes.”

You can read the full study online in the journal Acta Neuropathologica.

Kansas City area 18-year-old had worst brain trauma seen in someone so young

(Boston) – The parents of a former Missouri high school football player are going public with their son’s stage 2 (of 4) chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) diagnosis. Wyatt Bramwell, of Pleasant Hill, Mo., died by suicide in July 2019 at age 18, just months after graduating from high school. Boston University CTE Center researchers made the diagnosis, the first case of stage 2 (of 4) CTE in a teenager.

“It takes years for CTE to progress from stage 1 to stage 2, so to find stage 2 CTE in an 18-year-old is the clearest evidence yet that we are giving children CTE in sports,” said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank. “I hope this inspires further CTE prevention efforts, including adoption of CTE Prevention Protocols in sports.”

Bramwell hid his symptoms from family members and only started showing noticeable changes in the last two months of his life. In a video he recorded before his death, he confessed to struggling with depression, racing thoughts, paranoia and difficulty thinking straight saying, “my life for the past four years has been a living hell inside of my head.”

However, it is unclear if Bramwell’s symptoms were caused by his stage 2 CTE, his multiple concussions, or had other causes, according to a study of 152 athletes who died before the age of 30 published earlier this year in JAMA Neurology that included Bramwell.

Research is clear that Bramwell’s CTE was caused by playing tackle football from age 8 to age 18, including four years of high school in which he played both wide receiver and cornerback. A June 2023 Boston University study published in Nature Communications found football players’ odds of developing CTE were closely related to estimates of the number and strength of head impacts they received over their career.

Before his death, Bramwell asked his parents to donate his brain for research saying, “I took a lot of hits through football. I took a lot of concussions, and a lot of times I never told anybody about how I was feeling in my head after a hit.”

“We were completely shocked to learn that Wyatt had CTE,” said Christie Bramwell, Wyatt’s mother. “We hope sharing his story serves as a cautionary tale to all football parents and educates them on the risks of playing the sport. If it could happen to our son, it could happen to anyone.”

“By going public with Wyatt’s diagnosis, we hope other families think twice about allowing their young children to play tackle football,” said Bill Bramwell, Wyatt’s father. “Knowing what I know now, I would have encouraged Wyatt to play flag football for much longer.”

“For an 18-year-old to have the same stage of CTE as Junior Seau, who played 20 seasons in the NFL, is disturbing, but not surprising,” said Dr. Chris Nowinski, Concussion Legacy Foundation CEO. “Kids are bigger, faster, and stronger than ever, and I don’t understand why we still have nearly 1 million boys playing tackle football before high school knowing some will develop CTE like Wyatt Bramwell. At that age, we should only allow flag football.”

CTE can only be diagnosed after death. There is no known cure, but treatment is available for many symptoms of the disease. The CLF HelpLine is available to provide personalized support for any current or former athletes concerned about repetitive head trauma looking for help. Patients and caregivers can submit a request here.

Wyatt Bramwell’s story is included with several other athletes who died young and were later diagnosed with CTE in a feature report printed in today’s New York Times.

Brothers died 11 months apart, sons of former Raiders star George Atkinson II

(Boston) – For the first time, twin brothers have been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) after their deaths. Josh Atkinson and George Atkinson III both played football for the University of Notre Dame beginning in 2011. George III went on to play several seasons in the NFL. Boston University CTE Center researchers diagnosed both Josh and George III with stage 1 CTE after their deaths in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

“The Atkinson twins, and all sets of family members in our brain bank, are helping teach us about the genetic risk factors for CTE,” said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank. “These incredible families, which include multiple fathers and sons as well as brothers, give us special insights that could lead to future CTE treatments.”

Josh and George III are the sons of former Oakland Raiders All-Pro safety and Super Bowl XI champion George Atkinson II. In 2016, George II pledged to donate his brain to the Concussion Legacy Foundation for CTE research after his death and revealed he was suffering from suspected CTE symptoms.

Josh Atkinson took his own life at age 26 on Christmas Day in 2018, just two months after the death of his mother. He began playing tackle football at age 8 and was a star running back and defensive back for Granada High School in Livermore, Calif. before beginning his career as a cornerback at Notre Dame. He played three seasons at Notre Dame where he was also an All-Big East sprinter for the track and field team.

George Atkinson III played tackle football for 18 years beginning at age 8. He was the lead kickoff returner for the Irish, including for the team that played in the 2012 National Championship. After Notre Dame, he signed with the Oakland Raiders and later played for multiple teams in the NFL. In an open letter to The Unsealed published weeks before his death, George III detailed the suffering he endured after losing his brother.

George III revealed he had been diagnosed with depression and institutionalized for suicidal ideation, and that his mother had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He took his own life in November 2019 at age 27.

“Suicide is complex and multifactorial, so CTE does not explain suicide.” said Dr. Chris Nowinski, Concussion Legacy Foundation CEO. “However, former athletes frequently struggle with mental health symptoms and need help, and the presence of CTE does not make it easier. Preventing CTE, as well as concussions, is a critical component of improving the mental health of contact sport athletes.”

According to a study published earlier this year in JAMA Neurology of 152 brain donors who died before the age of 30, including both Josh and George III, it was unclear whether clinical symptoms including depression, apathy, and behavior dysregulation were caused by CTE, concussions or were independent of brain trauma.

CTE can only be diagnosed after death. There is no known cure, but treatments are available for many symptoms of the disease. The CLF HelpLine is available to provide personalized support for any current or former athletes concerned about concussions or suspected CTE and looking for help. Patients and caregivers can submit a request here.

Josh and George III’s stories are included with several other athletes who died young and were later diagnosed with CTE in a feature report printed in today’s New York Times.

(Boston) – The family of a woman diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) caused by domestic violence is publicly sharing her story for the first time. María Pánfila, a California mother of seven, suffered decades of abuse by her husband and, by her mid-40s, experienced memory issues and other symptoms consistent with those caused by repeated brain trauma. She passed away at age 69, and following a post-mortem analysis, Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank, diagnosed María Pánfila with severe CTE.

CTE is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated hits to the head. Dr. McKee has confirmed hundreds of post-mortem diagnoses, often in contact sport athletes and military veterans. After studying Pánfila’s brain tissue in 2019, McKee concluded the extent of degeneration was more severe than that of any previously examined athlete or soldier.

“[Alzheimer’s and CTE] were both very severe by the time of death, and then compounding that is just this incredible loss of nerve cells and white matter fibers, the likes of which I’ve never seen in CTE or in Alzheimer’s disease,” said McKee.

The call between McKee and María Pánfila’s family, in which McKee disclosed her groundbreaking findings, is a key scene in the documentary film, “This Hits Home,” which also features Concussion Legacy Foundation co-founders Dr. Chris Nowinski and Dr. Robert Cantu. The film is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Click here to watch a trailer.

While María Pánfila’s diagnosis is the first public case of CTE linked to domestic violence, her daughter knows there are millions of women worldwide who suffer from similar brain trauma. Dr. María E. Garay-Serratos is the founder and CEO of the Pánfila Domestic Violence HOPE Foundation, and during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, she wants her mother’s story to open a lifesaving global conversation.

“At a minimum, we need governments, media, and the medical community to begin educating women and men about the health risks of domestic violence and the necessity of seeking treatment after a violent attack involving the head,” said Garay-Serratos.
Throughout “This Hits Home,” director Sydney Scotia features Garay-Serratos’s search for scientific answers to her mother’s neurological decline. The film also calls for more scientific and medical awareness for the estimated 75% of domestic violence survivors who suffer single or repeated traumatic brain injuries.

“We know domestic and intimate partner violence are tragically underreported, but this type of brain trauma is also under-researched,” said Scotia. “The link between these injuries and neurodegenerative diseases like CTE and dementia is an urgent research priority.”

The CLF HelpLine is here for domestic violence victims suffering with brain injury symptoms. The free service provides personalized support to individuals and families navigating the outcomes of concussion and suspected CTE.

AFLW (Australian football) star, Army medic Heather Anderson died by suspected suicide at 28

(Boston) – Researchers at the Australian Sports Brain Bank (ASBB), which was co-founded by the Concussion Legacy Foundation, have diagnosed the first female athlete with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head impacts. Dr. Michael Buckland identified low-stage CTE in the brain of former professional Australian rules footballer Heather Anderson, who died in November 2022 at the age of 28. Her death is subject to an ongoing coronial investigation. Due to the circumstances surrounding the death, it is suspected she died by suicide.

“There were multiple CTE lesions as well as abnormalities nearly everywhere I looked in her cortex. It was indistinguishable from the dozens of male cases I’ve seen,” said Buckland, director of the ASBB. “I want to thank the Anderson family for generously donating Heather’s brain and hope more families follow in their footsteps so we can advance the science to help future athletes.”

Anderson played both rugby league and Australian rules football during her contact sports career, which lasted 18 years, beginning at age 5. Her mother insisted that she wear a helmet during games due to the risk of concussions.

“She hated watching me get smashed,” Anderson told media outlet Mamamia in 2017.

A soft-shelled pink helmet became Anderson’s signature during her time as a key member of the 2017 premiership-winning Adelaide Crows. Off the pitch, she served as a medic in the Army for nine years. Her family says she did not exhibit any signs of depression or unusual behavior in the months leading up to her death, and she did not have a history of alcohol or drug use.

“The first case of CTE in a female athlete should be a wakeup call for women’s sports,” said CLF co-founder and CEO Dr. Chris Nowinski. “We can prevent CTE by preventing repeated impacts to the head, and we must begin a dialogue with leaders in women’s sports today so we can save future generations of female athletes from suffering.”

To date, there have only been a handful of CTE cases reported in women, and none have been former athletes. As women’s participation in contact sports grows, and as former contact sports athletes age, researchers anticipate more female athletes will be diagnosed with CTE.

“Research shows women have an equal or greater susceptibility to concussion in contact sports, but we don’t yet know what that means for their risk of developing CTE,” said CLF co-founder and medical director Dr. Robert Cantu. “We urgently need to accelerate research on CTE in women so we can prevent future cases, better understand how CTE impacts their behavior and cognition, and treat those who develop symptoms.”

Dr. Nowinski traveled to Australia in 2018 for the opening of the ASBB with the goal of accelerating CTE research in Australia to better understand, prevent, treat, and eventually cure CTE and other consequences of sports-related brain trauma. Since then, more than 60 brains have been donated for study.

CLF also launched a new chapter of the charity, CLF Australia, in 2022. Help is available in Australia and around the world for former and current athletes and veterans who may be struggling with suspected CTE symptoms. The Concussion Legacy Foundation HelpLine provides free, personalized support to patients and families battling concussion or suspected CTE symptoms. Anyone who needs assistance or support can reach out at CLFHelpline.org.

Female athletes interested in joining research efforts to prevent future cases of CTE are encouraged to join the CLF Research Registry to enroll in relevant studies and pledge to donate their brains. Learn more here.

Breakthrough study inspires a playbook with specific actions to prevent CTE

(Boston) Prevention of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is now possible, experts say, but it will require sports to move beyond current concussion protocols. To help sports teams prevent CTE in current players, the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) and the Boston University (BU) CTE Center have published the first CTE Prevention Protocol, which provides a simple playbook to prevent the degenerative brain disease diagnosed in nearly 1,000 athletes across more than a dozen contact sports.

The CTE Prevention Protocol was inspired by 15 years of BU CTE Center research investigating why some individuals exposed to head impacts develop CTE while others do not. A study published Tuesday in Nature Communications by researchers at Mass General Brigham, Harvard Medical School, and the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine showed that in football players, CTE risk is closely correlated to the cumulative force of impacts to the head. Simple changes to how sports are played and practiced — to reduce both the number of hits to the head, as well as the strength of impacts — could prevent most future CTE cases.

“Over the last decade, every sport has created a concussion protocol to protect athletes,” said Chris Nowinski, PhD, CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation. “Concussion protocols do not prevent CTE. Every sport and team need a CTE Prevention Protocol based on the principles of fewer hits to the head and fewer hard hits to the head. CTE prevention is that simple.”

In the study of 631 deceased football players, the largest CTE study to date, scientists found the number of diagnosed concussions alone was not associated with CTE risk. Instead, football players’ odds of developing CTE were related to both how many head impacts they received and how hard those head impacts were.

“CTE is a preventable disease, and this new study suggests that we could lower the odds that athletes develop CTE if we reduce both the number of head impacts and the force of the impacts,” said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank. “Based on what I have learned from patients and their families, we should do everything in our power to prevent CTE.”

As an example, the CTE Prevention Protocol shows that for offensive linemen, reducing head impacts in practice by half during high school and college would be expected to reduce the odds of developing CTE by 50%. If the hardest 10% of impacts were prevented through safer drills and rule changes, CTE risk would decrease by another 50%.

“Although this study was limited to football players, it also provides insight into the impact characteristics most responsible for CTE pathology outside of football, because your brain doesn’t care what hits it,” said study lead author Dan Daneshvar, MD, PhD, Chief of Brain Injury Medicine for Spaulding Rehabilitation at Mass General Brigham, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and advisor to CLF. “The finding that estimated lifetime force was related to CTE in football players likely holds true for other contact sports, military exposure, or domestic violence.”

You can read and download the CTE Prevention Protocol here.