5 Questions You Might Have About CTE, the Brain Disease That Plagued Aaron Hernandez

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is one of the most dangerous neurological conditions athletes can face, in part because there’s still very little known about the disease. One of the most notable cases occurred in Aaron Hernandez, the ex-NFL star whose troubled life, crimes, and untimely death are the subject of a Netflix documentary, Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez. But Hernandez is far from the only athlete to suffer from CTE, and research shows that it’s not just athletes who are at risk. Experts are working to better understand the condition — and hopefully, find ways to diagnose and treat it sooner — but in the meantime, here are the answers to a few of the most important questions you may have about it.