40% of contact sport players' brains had CTE before 30
A 2023 study found that more than 40% of brains from contact sport players who died before age 30 showed signs of CTE.
Snapshot · The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
UFC Legend Dustin Poirier: I Lost My Mind. I’ll Never Let It Happen Again.
Explore episode
Jul 6, 2026
Where this was said
Brain Trauma, CTE, and the Neurologist's Findings
At 1:16:50 · chapter starts 1:11:20
Bartlett pivots to the physical cost of fighting, sharing data he gathered from interviewing what he describes as a leading CTE researcher. The numbers are stark: older adults with head trauma history face a 230% greater Alzheimer's risk; 61% of UFC fighters worry about long-term brain damage; and a 2023 study found over 40% of contact sport athletes who died before 30 had CTE. [1] — Dustin Poirier "A neurological scan of Poirier's brain revealed thinning and a separated brain septum, with his neurologist concerned that the left and rig…" 1:15:50 Poirier then reveals that his wife's concern about behavioural changes prompted a neurological scan with contrast dye, which showed thinning in the back of his brain and a separated septum pellucidum — a structure whose splitting the neurologist believes is reducing communication between brain hemispheres. He can't be diagnosed with CTE while alive, but the physical evidence is there. He notes that spontaneous decision-making — betting $5,000 impulsively, getting drunk in the airport — might link to brain changes, though he's careful not to use it as an excuse.
Brain Damage, CTE, and the Neurologist's Warning
A neurological scan of Poirier's brain revealed thinning and a separated brain septum, with his neurologist concerned that the left and right hemispheres may not be communicating normally. CTE can only be definitively diagnosed posthumously, but the physical changes and his wife's reports of behavioral shifts are concerning. A 2023 study found over 40% of contact sport athletes who died before 30 already had CTE.
230% greater Alzheimer's risk with head trauma history
Older adults with a history of traumatic brain injuries have a 230% greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than those without such a history.
61% of UFC fighters worry about long-term brain damage
61% of UFC fighters have stated they worry about potential long-term brain damage from the sport, with about 21% noticing differences in their brain function after their fighting career.
Brain scan showed thinning and septum separation
A neurological scan revealed brain thinning and a separated brain septum in Poirier, with the neurologist suggesting the left and right sides of his brain may not be communicating smoothly.
The Good Fight Foundation: From Clearing a House to Changing Lives
Poirier and Jolie were packing up their South Florida home when they saw a news story about a police officer killed near where they went to school, leaving behind a family. They auctioned his fight gear to help the family, then kept going. What started as eBay listings became a formal nonprofit with an annual back-to-school drive, international water well projects in Uganda, and a mission to maximise every donated dollar.
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