An inquest heard that signs of a serious brain disease were found in Ricky Hatton after his tragic death last year – the NHS has shared symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Boxing legend Ricky Hatton was found to be suffering from a degenerative brain disease before his death.
A post-mortem after Hatton’s tragic death, on September 14, 2025, found signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in the former world boxing champion. This brain condition is thought to be linked to repeated injuries and blows to the head.
This serious condition has been found more commonly among other athletes including footballers, rugby players and American football players. The inquest into Hatton’s death, which ran on Friday, revealed analysis of the boxing legend’s brain showed “degenerative changes” often seen in people significantly older than him.
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Results from scans of Hatton, who died aged 46, were consistent with CTE associated with repeated trauma to the brain, according to experts. They added that the disease was at the milder end of the spectrum, leading to memory loss and cognitive impairment.
CTE causes the death of nerve cells in the brain and slowly gets worse over time, and leads to dementia. This disease is rare and can only be formally diagnosed after death during an autopsy of the brain. At Friday’s inquest, a pathologist recorded a cause of death as “hanging”, adding there was “no evidence to suggest suspicious circumstances” in the boxing star’s death.
Symptoms
The NHS shared some of the early and later symptoms people with the disease could experience. Some of the early symptoms, which might not be noticeable at first, include: personality changes, mood changes and behaviour changes – which could include mood swings and aggression.
As the disease develops, symptoms could also start to change. These could include: confusion, short-term memory loss, problems with movement or issues with planning and organisation.
The NHS said these signs could start to appear around 10 years after suffering repeated head injuries and they could stay the same for years before getting worse.
Causes of CTE
Although CTE is rare and less researched than other brain conditions, experts believe it is related to multiple blows to the head rather than a single brain injury.
People who have had multiple concussions or been hit several times in that area “have a higher chance of getting chronic traumatic encephalopathy”, according to the NHS.
Although the most famous cases of CTE are among athletes in contact sports like boxing, wrestling and American football, there are two other groups which could face higher risk levels of developing the disease. These include people who have had blast injuries while serving in the military or victims of prolonged physical abuse – such as sufferers of domestic violence.
Can CTE be avoided?
Although the disease is not well understood, the NHS warned: “Anyone who’s had repeated head injuries is at risk, but not everyone will get it.”
It is believed that the only way to try and prevent this brain condition is to avoid repeated head injuries. Athletes therefore should wear the correct protective equipment for their spots, which could include a helmet. The NHS also advised that head injuries should be treated properly.
Can CTE be cured?
This brain disease cannot be cured but treatments can be given for symptoms, which is similar to the help given to people with dementia. This can include speech and language therapy for memory loss and physiotherapy for difficulties with mobility.
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
