CTE Not Likely Among People With Few Concussions, Experts Report

Key Takeaways

People who’ve suffered infrequent concussions aren’t likely to develop chronic traumatic encephalopathy

Out of 47 brains studied, only seven had evidence of CTE

Most of those seven had a history of repeated head injuries from sports, military service or child abuse

TUESDAY, Oct. 28, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Folks who’ve suffered one or two concussions at some point shouldn’t worry about developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a new study has concluded.

CTE is more common in people who experience many repeated head impacts, like the football players in whom the disorder was first identified, researchers recently reported in the Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology .

In all, 7 out of 47 donated brains had CTE as confirmed by autopsy — and six