what similarities do you see between this and the aaron hernandez case? >> dr.o cte, but it was extraordinary in the frontal lobe. with frontal lobe damage, you find personality and behavior changes and problems with aggressiveness and impulsivity. it makes sense that both would be involved, both would be moved with a scenario like this that really just rocks you. >> i think i don't have to say correlation when talking about cte and football. i think i can say causation because of the work that you and others who work with you have done. but what about a propensity for violence or, as you say, impulse control? is that causal connection now established? >> well, it's something that -- we have 1,200 families who donated brains of former athletes and military veterans to our center. we consistently hear problems with mid life personal changes and multiple murder suicides with former nfl players that have been found to have cte. i think we have to be open to the idea that the disease is causing these behaviors and we need to do more to stop this, to support families

his brain looked a lot like the brain of aaron hernandez who was convicted of murder and died by suicide in prison. >> we are finding some comfort in the cte results and the explanation they provide for the irrational behaviors pertaining to this tragedy. >> reporter: cte is found in people with a history of head trauma and can only be officially diagnosed when a person is dead. adams joins a growing list of former nfl players who struggle with the disease. at the time of the killings, his father said he blamed his son's football career. >> i think the football messed him up. >> reporter: he was just 32 years old when he died, had played for six nfl teams and suffered injuries throughout his career. the nfl is paying a lot more attention to this issue after reaching a large settlement with players who sued. steve osunsami, abc news, atlanta. >>> a saga that dates back to the summer is finally over. after months on the run, two zebras from a farm in maryland have finally been captured. authorities say the animals returned to the herd last week after escaping in august. the wayward zebras

the medical examiner said that his condition closely resembled that of aaron hernandez, who died by suicide inflation hitting historic levels, the federal reserve is expected to announce a major policy shift today. it's expected to pave the way for an interest rate increase followed by one or two more in the next year. >>> today's weather -- heavy rain in the northwest and snow in the rockies and northern plains. severe storms could spawn tornados in the upper midwest. rain in parts of the northeast. >>> finally, one woman's candy creations. >> she uses blueprints from original buildings to create epic gingerbread houses. here's will ganss. >> reporter: buddy the elf is not the only one working overtime. this time of year. >> the shake shack took me about 50 hours in total. i would say, that's probably about the same for the cattage and rose bud probably took more than that, because it was so much bigger. >> reporter: i mean, that's a full workweek. >> yeah. i was doing it nights, weekends. >> reporter: by day, natalie works in marketing. but her holiday hustle, making gingerbread redegrcre

she says his brain looked a lot like the brain of aaron hernandez, the former nfl tight end who was convicted of murder and died by suicide in prison. >> we are finding some comfort in the cte results and the explanation they provide for the irrational behaviors pertaining to this tragedy. >> reporter: cte is found in people with a history of head trauma and can only be officially diagnosed when a person is dead. tonight, adams joins a growing list of former nfl players who've struggled with the disease. at the time of the killings, adams fee father told wcnc in charlotte that he blamed his son's football career. >> i think the football messed him up. >> reporter: adams was just 32 years old when he died, had played in nearly 80 nfl games over six seasons and his family says that he struggled with injuries his entire career. david? >> steve osunsami tonight. thank you, steve. >>> tonight, we've learned the fbi is now investigating after the disappearance of a cruise ship passenger who fell overboard on a carnival cruise. the company confirming the woman in her 20s fell from the balcony of her

researchers also found that adams' pathology was similar to that of aaron hernandez, a former nfl player who died by suicide in 2017 while in prison on murder charges. phillips had repeatedly sought help from the nfl. and a group of young activists from across the country are on hunger strike to demand lawmakers pass the freedom to vote act. the hunger strike started in arizona last week and has since expanded, with striking activists protesting in front of the white house every day. noted harvard professor lawrence lessig has joined the hunger strike after being inspired by a meeting with some of the activists. this is madison speaking tuesday, day nine of her hunger strike. >> i am feeling pretty tired and weak, but i'm in part because i know in order to pass legislation we need, we have to get this bill passed first and this year. i'm willing to do whatever itakes. amy: and those are some of the headlines. this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman in new york, joined by my co-host juan gonzález in new brunswick, new jersey. hi, juan. juan: hi,