Thinking you have a concussion related brain injury could increase your risk of suicidal thoughts

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-09-24 01:00

International

Image by WikiImages from Pixabay

***This media release contains information some readers may find distressing as it refers to data about mental health, suicide and self-harm. If you or anyone you know needs help, support is available now. Call Lifeline (Aus) on 131 114 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, or Lifeline (NZ) on 0800 543 354. ***

Approximately one-third of living former professional American-style football (ASF) players report experiencing symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) - a neurological condition that is found in people who experience repetitive head injuries, according to an international study, which found that those who reported symptoms also had a higher chance of suicidal thoughts. The research team surveyed 1980 former professional ASF players, asking them if they believed they had CTE, a condition that can only be confirmed after death. The study found that 681 participants, or roughly 34%, reported that they believed they had CTE. Of the players who said they believed they had CTE, 171 reported having suicidal thoughts, compared with 64 of the 1299 who did not report CTE symptoms. The researchers say that CTE is associated with a range of health problems, and may be an indicator of an increased risk of suicidality. They suggest that these findings should direct diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for people with CTE, and should enhance the detection of suicide risk among former professional ASF players.

Media release

From: JAMA

About The Study: This study found that approximately one-third of living former professional football players reported perceived chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Men with perceived CTE had an increased prevalence of suicidality and were more likely to have health problems associated with cognitive impairment compared with men without perceived CTE. Perceived CTE represents a novel risk factor for suicidality and, if present, should motivate the diagnostic assessment and treatment of medical and behavioral conditions that may be misattributed to CTE neuropathological change.

Attachments

Note: Not all attachments are visible to the general public. Research URLs will go live after the embargo ends.

Research JAMA, Web page URL will go live after the embargo lifts

Journal/
conference: JAMA Neurology

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Harvard University, USA

Funder: This work received support from Harvard Catalyst, The Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center (National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health award UL1 TR002541) and financial contributions from Harvard University and its affiliated academic health care centers. The Football Players Health Study is supported by the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA).

Media Contact/s

Contact details are only visible to registered journalists.