Concussion & CTE Foundation

Concussion & CTE Foundation The Concussion & CTE Foundation's mission is to support athletes, veterans & all affected by brain trauma.

What does CTE look like while someone is still alive?A new study from Boston University CTE Center offers one of the cle...
09/03/2026

What does CTE look like while someone is still alive?

A new study from Boston University CTE Center offers one of the clearest windows yet into the cognitive effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Researchers studied 33 former NFL players who later had CTE confirmed at autopsy and had completed neuropsychological testing while alive.

The findings were striking:
🧠 63% had memory impairment
🧠 52% had executive function impairment
🧠 41% had language impairment
🧠 26% had attention impairment

More advanced CTE was also associated with worse memory performance.

The study also raises an important concern: Does the NFL’s Concussion Settlement testing system accurately identify cognitive impairment?

Among the 7 players with advanced CTE (stage 3 or 4), 6 showed measurable cognitive impairment on testing—yet all 7 received the programs lowest impairment rating. That means some former players with measurable cognitive impairment may not have been recognized as impaired and therefore may have been denied settlement benefits.

The study authors note that the settlement's scoring rules differ substantially from the clinical standards typically used to diagnose cognitive disorders.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2026/09/02/nfl-concussion-settlement-bu-study-cte/91576793007/

Concussion ≠ PCS 🧠💥Not all people with a concussion develop persistent symptoms, but everyone with post-concussion syndr...
09/03/2026

Concussion ≠ PCS 🧠💥

Not all people with a concussion develop persistent symptoms, but everyone with post-concussion syndrome (PCS) suffered a concussion. Concussion symptoms typically resolve within a month. But when symptoms linger for longer, doctors may diagnose PCS or persistent post-concussion symptoms (PPCS).

For the ~20% of concussion sufferers who develop PCS/PPCS, symptoms such as headaches, brain fog, fatigue, light sensitivity and sleep issues can linger for months or even years after their injury. But symptoms can and do eventually improve with the right support and treatment.

Whether you’re dealing with a recent concussion or ongoing symptoms that aren’t improving, we’re here for you. Reach out to our free HelpLine for personalized guidance and help navigating treatment options and next steps.
➡️ To submit a request, visit ConcussionAndCTE.org/HelpLine or the 🔗 in our bio.

Let us know below what else you’re hoping to have answered or explained this ! 👇

September is International Concussion Awareness Month! 📣 🧠All month long, we’re shining a light on the brain injury by r...
09/01/2026

September is International Concussion Awareness Month! 📣 🧠

All month long, we’re shining a light on the brain injury by raising awareness, sharing resources, and offering inspiration for concussion recovery.

đź’™ Know someone who might find this helpful? Share our posts and tag them!

💬 Have a story to tell? We’d love to hear from you. Send us a DM to share your concussion journey.

78% of professional footballers (soccer players) support temporary concussion substitutions.A new study of 600 current a...
09/01/2026

78% of professional footballers (soccer players) support temporary concussion substitutions.

A new study of 600 current and former professional players in Europe found overwhelming support for a simple safety measure: giving players time to undergo a proper concussion assessment without forcing their team to permanently use a substitution.

The message from players is clear: brain health should come before the pressure to stay on the pitch.

âš˝ 72.5% suspected they had suffered a concussion during their careers.
🧠 Only 45.7% were formally diagnosed.
🚨 79.5% said the decision to remove a player after a suspected concussion should not rest with the player.

If the game can make time for hydration breaks, it can make time to protect players from potentially life-changing brain injuries.
FIFA and IFAB: listen to the players. Make temporary concussion substitutions a reality.

Waiting until high school to play tackle football didn’t hold back some of the greatest players in NFL history. ➡️ Here ...
08/31/2026

Waiting until high school to play tackle football didn’t hold back some of the greatest players in NFL history. ➡️ Here are four NFL stars who didn’t start playing tackle until after age 14 and went on to have Hall of Fame level careers.

By delaying tackle football, they had more time to develop physically and athletically before being exposed to the repetitive head impacts that come with tackle play. That’s why we advocate for kids to wait until at least age 14 before playing tackle football, while choosing non-contact options like flag football in the meantime.

Flag Under 14 = More time to develop and less exposure to repetitive head impacts.

The new research findings about CTE are alarming. But the good news is that it’s entirely preventable. Why? Because it’s...
08/29/2026

The new research findings about CTE are alarming. But the good news is that it’s entirely preventable. Why? Because it’s environmentally caused. If you are not exposed to repetitive head impacts, you won’t get CTE.

In 2023, we published the first ever CTE Prevention Protocol along with Boston University CTE Center, a simple playbook with recommendations for reducing the number and severity of head impacts proven to cause the degenerative brain disease.

Check out the protocol and learn more about our prevention efforts at the link in our bio.

08/26/2026

The BMJ published a landmark research study we worked on with and Boston University CTE Center this week examining the brains of NFL players who died between 2016-2021. The findings are deeply concerning.

At least 25% of the players studied had CTE, with the estimated prevalence potentially reaching as high as 98%.

We’ve heard people respond saying the data reflects a different era of football, when hits were harder and player safety measures were less developed. But our CEO, Dr. Chris Nowinski, told he worries CTE could be even more common among players from the modern era, given how much bigger, stronger, and faster they are.

For example, in July we shared the CTE diagnosis of former Cowboys DE Marshawn Kneeland. He played in the era of concussion protocols and practice restrictions and researchers found CTE in his brain after he took his own life at just 24 years old.

We still have so much work to do to protect football players from CTE, and this new evidence must be taken seriously.

Learn more about our efforts to and how you can help us get there at EndCTE.org

08/25/2026

A new study from Mass General Brigham, Boston University, and the Concussion & CTE Foundation found that at least 25% of former NFL players who died between 2016-2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at the time of death.
Lead and corresponding author Dr. Daniel Daneshvar, the Chair of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Mass General Brigham and Earl P. and Ida S. Charlton Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, discusses the study’s methodology, findings, and implications.
These findings cement CTE as a serious health concern among former NFL players.
If you or someone you know are concerned about symptoms of CTE, you’re not alone and help is available. Reach out to our free HelpLine for help finding doctors and peer support.
➡️ To submit a request, visit ConcussionAndCTE.org/HelpLine

In a new study from Mass General Brigham, Boston University (BU), and the Concussion & CTE Foundation, researchers found...
08/25/2026

In a new study from Mass General Brigham, Boston University (BU), and the Concussion & CTE Foundation, researchers found evidence that at least 1 in 4 former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at the time of their death, a much higher prevalence compared to the general population.

“Community brain bank studies have shown that CTE affects less than 1% of the general population. To find that somewhere between 24.5% and 97.7% of NFL players from that time period had this progressive brain disease is a wake-up call for the NFL and scientific communities,” said lead and corresponding author Daniel Daneshvar, MD, PhD.

The study does not show that 1 in 4 current NFL players have CTE. The findings do underscore CTE as a serious health concern among former NFL players. Researchers note future studies should examine younger generations of athletes, and prevention efforts should focus on reducing the repetitive head impacts that drive CTE risk, not just concussions.

It's important to remember that many health issues can cause symptoms that look like neurodegenerative disease, and many of them are treatable. If you're looking for guidance, help finding a specialist, or support managing your health, reach out to our Concussion & CTE Foundation HelpLine team at ConcussionAndCTE.org/HelpLine

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