Young Amateur Athletes at Risk of CTE, BU Study Finds

The Brink | Boston University | It’s perhaps not especially surprising that after enduring decades of head-thumping collisions on the football field, many NFL veterans spend their retirements grappling with declining brain health. Almost all—92 percent—of ex-NFL players studied have been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Worryingly though, a new study from the Boston University CTE Center suggests that it’s not just grizzled old pros who should be concerned about the degenerative brain disease. Researchers found that young, amateur athletes who play some of the most physical contact sports also seem to be at risk, despite their comparatively short, lower-profile playing careers. Read more.