Concussion News and Research

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Virtual reality training may be effective alternative to standard therapy after stroke

Using virtual reality therapy to improve arm and hand movement after a stroke is equally as effective as regular therapy, according to a study published in the November 15, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

16 Nov 2017

Study finds lack of follow-up care for more than two-thirds of children with concussion

In a study that looked at data over a 10-year period, York University researchers, in collaboration with Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, found that more than two-thirds of youth and children with an acute concussion do not seek medical follow-up or clearance as recommended by current international concussion guidelines.

15 Nov 2017

Inflammation in mid-life may be linked to brain shrinkage decades later

People who have biomarkers tied to inflammation in their blood in their 40s and 50s may have more brain shrinkage decades later than people without the biomarkers, according to a study published in the November 1, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The brain cell loss was found especially in areas of the brain that are affected by Alzheimer's disease.

2 Nov 2017

Shear shock waves may explain why some head knocks cause more harm than others

Veteran sailors know that rogue waves can rise suddenly in mid-ocean to capsize even the largest vessels. Now it appears that a similar phenomenon called shear shock wave occurs in the concussed brain. It may help explain why some head knocks cause so much more harm than others.

1 Nov 2017

New biomarkers could help doctors diagnose traumatic brain injury through simple blood test

UCLA researchers have identified four biomarkers that could help doctors diagnose brain trauma and concussions through a simple blood test. The biomarkers are proteins, from brain cells called astrocytes, which are released instantly into the bloodstream when astrocytes' outer membranes rupture from blunt impact or whiplash trauma.

31 Oct 2017

Experts call for mandatory helmet use at all positions of youth baseball and softball

Despite lower rates of traumatic brain injuries in baseball and softball, there is poor compliance overall with helmet use and return-to-play guidelines following a concussion across all levels of play, according to a new systematic review.

30 Oct 2017

Young hockey players may show post-concussion brain changes even after they return to play

Young hockey players who have suffered concussions may still show changes in the white matter of the brain months after being cleared to return to play, researchers at Western University have found through sophisticated Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques.

25 Oct 2017

Researchers find significant increase in risk factors among people with stroke

Despite prevention efforts, researchers have found a significant increase over a 10-year period in the percentage of people with stroke who have high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and other risk factors for stroke.

12 Oct 2017

New app helps doctors make better decisions during brain surgeries

A new app developed by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Medical College of Wisconsin helps doctors make better decisions during brain surgeries.

5 Oct 2017

Women with high blood pressure in their 40s may more likely develop dementia later

Women who develop high blood pressure in their 40s may be more likely to develop dementia years later, according to a study published in the October 4, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

4 Oct 2017

Sports-related concussion symptoms last longer for adolescent girls, study suggests

A new study published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association suggested that the concussion symptoms suffered by adolescent female athletes last twice as long as their male counterparts.

4 Oct 2017

Researchers examine how concussions affect women differently than men

Do concussions affect women differently than men? What impact do they have on a person's psychological health?

30 Sep 2017

Caffeine may not relieve movement symptoms for people with Parkinson's

Contrary to previous research, caffeine may not relieve movement symptoms for people with Parkinson's disease, according to a study published in the September 27, 2017, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

28 Sep 2017

Study reports prevalence of concussion among teens playing contact sports

A new University of Michigan study confirms what many hospital emergency rooms nationwide are seeing: Teens playing contact sports suffer from concussions.

26 Sep 2017

Study finds link between concussion in adolescence and raised risk of later multiple sclerosis

A new study published in the Annals of Neurology found a link between head trauma in adolescence, particularly if repeated, with a raised risk of later developing multiple sclerosis.

21 Sep 2017

People with high and low magnesium levels in blood may have increased risk of dementia

People with both high and low levels of magnesium in their blood may have a greater risk of developing dementia, according to a study published in the September 20, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

20 Sep 2017

WPI professor developing new tools to better detect concussions in real time

As fall sports seasons get under way and concerns related to concussions in contact sports continue to grow, a Worcester Polytechnic Institute biomedical engineering professor is developing better tools to understand the mechanics of traumatic brain injuries in athletes.

13 Sep 2017

Popular bottle-breaking trick could provide better understanding of brain diseases

As many YouTube videos show, striking the top of a liquid-filled bottle can shatter the bottom. Now researchers are hoping to use new knowledge of that party trick to help fill a gap in something much more serious: brain research.

13 Sep 2017

PupilScreen could detect concussion, brain injuries on the spot using smartphone camera

University of Washington researchers are developing the first smartphone app that is capable of objectively detecting concussion and other traumatic brain injuries in the field: on the sidelines of a sports game, on a battlefield or in the home of an elderly person prone to falls.

7 Sep 2017

Women experience concussion differently compared to their male counterparts

Scientists have known for more than a decade that female athletes sustain concussions at a higher rate than males when playing sports with similar rules, such as soccer, basketball and baseball/softball. Females also tend to report more symptoms-;and more severe ones--and may also take longer to recover from brain injuries than their male counterparts.

6 Sep 2017