An editorial in the March issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine explores the potential connections between sleep problems and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) among National Football League players. Several recent studies have found interconnections between traumatic brain injury (TBI), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), insomnia, mood disturbances, and cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. Therefore, it’s possible that OSA and other sleep disturbances could contribute to or exacerbate CTE that is caused by repetitive concussive brain trauma among NFL players.
