A mild or moderate concussion may have longer-lasting consequences than previously realized, a new study suggests.
By comparing brain imaging studies and thinking tests between healthy people and those with relatively minor concussions, the researchers found that the recovery of thinking skills can take a long time. Minor concussions can be caused by events such as falling off a bike, being in a slow-speed car crash or being hit in a fist-fight.
Initially, those with concussions had thinking and memory test scores that were 25 percent lower than those in healthy people. One year after injury, however, while the scores for those with and without concussions were similar, those who had had brain injuries still had evidence of brain damage on imaging tests, with clear signs of continued disruption to key brain cells.
The findings are especially important because 90 percent of all traumatic brain injuries are mild to moderate, said Andrew Blamire, senior author of the study and professor of magnetic resonance physics at Newcastle University, in the United Kingdom.
And, Dr. Michael O’Brien, director of the sports concussion clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital, pointed out that “it’s really good for people to know — those who are suffering with school performance, physical performance and even social issues — the fact that there is actual structural damage, even a year after the injury.”
The research was published online July 16 and in the Aug. 5 print issue of Neurology.
A concussion is a type of brain injury that occurs when the head hits an object, when a moving object strikes the head, or when the head experiences a sudden force without being hit directly. There are about 2 to 4 million concussion injuries from sports and recreation in the United States every year, according to the American Academy of Neurology. Most concussions result in full recovery.
Kids are particularly vulnerable to the impact of concussions because they are still developing, and they can easily accumulate multiple injuries over the years, said O’Brien. In addition, the pressure to perform on the field, and in the classroom, can slow recovery, he added.
The question of how brain injury affects thinking has been difficult for experts to answer because while CT and MRI scans can show injury to a particular area, it may not show signs of more diffuse damage. As a result, researchers have not been able to show clear connections between what they find on imaging studies and tests of thinking, Blamire said.
Complicating the problem is the fact that symptoms alone often do not tell the whole story. “The level of symptoms doesn’t always correlate to the level of damage,” said O’Brien. And, other issues, like depression or low thyroid levels can mimic concussion, he added.
Click here to read more.
SOURCE: HealthDay
Barbara Bronson Gray