Boston University Study Finds NFL Settlement Testing May Miss Advanced CTE Cognitive Decline
Source Summary
Boston University researchers completed the largest study characterizing cognitive symptoms in NFL players with confirmed chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) who underwent neuropsychological testing while alive. CTE is a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated head impacts that currently cannot be accurately diagnosed during life, partly because its specific cognitive symptoms remain incompletely understood.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that current neuropsychological testing protocols used in NFL settlement cases may fail to detect cognitive impairment in players with advanced CTE, potentially affecting compensation and care decisions.
