Chris Henry Had Trauma-Induced Brain Damage

Chris Henry, the Bengals running back who died during a domestic dispute last year, has been  identified as the first player to have trauma-induced brain damage while still active in the NFL


Henry was only 26 and is the youngest player to be diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the progressive brain disease that I wrote about yesterday, which experts have now tied to the effects of playing football.  Since it can only be accurately diagnosed after death, it does not often appear in cases of younger men, which makes Henry's case so important.  It may also provide a partial explanation for the problems Henry got into during the last several years of his life.  It is known that CTE alters the brain functions and may cause changes in behavior as the disease progresses.