Concussion News and Research

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Concussed athlete's brain may not fully recover even one year after return to play

How long does it take an athlete to recover from a concussion? New research has found an athlete's brain may still not be fully recovered one year after being allowed to return to play.

16 Oct 2019

New study blames vascular rather than nerve injury for concussion

Brain concussion occurs when the soft cottage cheese-like brain tissue is slammed against the hard skull surface, sustaining transient and reversible injury which causes brain dysfunction for a period.

14 Oct 2019

New study could change the way traumatic brain injuries are treated

Traumatic brain injuries, including concussions, can be caused by anything from sports injuries to battlefield trauma.

14 Oct 2019

Military veterans with PTSD suffer from rare sleep disorder

Military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder or concussion suffer from a thrashing form of sleep behavior at a rate that is far higher than the general population, according to a new study by researchers at the VA Portland Health Care System and Oregon Health & Science University.

11 Oct 2019

Study shows relationship between duration of football played and CTE risk, severity

The risk and severity of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy increases with the number of years playing American football according to a new study that appears online in Annals of Neurology.

7 Oct 2019

Reporting skill and concussion symptom knowledge increase concussion reporting

Concussions often are underreported by those experiencing symptoms, and most education programs assume that increased knowledge will improve that rate. But new research from the University of Georgia suggests that knowing how to report a concussion-;rather than knowing more about concussions-;is a greater factor in prompting athletes to take action.

3 Oct 2019

Study: Drops in income may lead to thinking problems, reduced brain health

Young adults who experience annual income drops of 25 percent or more may be more at risk of having thinking problems and reduced brain health in middle age, according to a study published in the October 2, 2019, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

3 Oct 2019

VCU awarded federal grant to lead study of traumatic brain injuries in military personnel

Virginia Commonwealth University has been awarded a $50 million federal grant to oversee a national research consortium of universities, hospitals and clinics that will study the long-term impacts of mild traumatic brain injuries or concussions on service members and veterans.

30 Sep 2019

Non-invasive treatment shows early promise for vestibular migraine attacks

There may be some good news for people with vestibular migraine, a type of migraine that causes vertigo and dizziness with or without headache pain.

26 Sep 2019

Study finds evidence of blood-brain barrier damage even without reported concussion

In a new study of adolescent and adult athletes, researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Stanford University and Trinity College in Dublin have found evidence of damage to the brain's protective barrier, without a reported concussion.

25 Sep 2019

Researchers aim to explore effects of age, gender on brain injury mechanics

Traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy have become common in athletes who suffer repeated blows to the head. Most recently, former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski revealed that he had sustained about 20 concussions during his nine-year career in the National Football League.

21 Sep 2019

AAN recommends assessment of people aged 65 and older for memory problems

People with mild cognitive impairment have thinking and memory problems but usually do not know it because such problems are not severe enough to affect their daily activities.

19 Sep 2019

Brain changes may help track people most likely to develop dementia

Even before dementia diagnosis, people with mild cognitive impairment may have different changes in the brain depending on what type of dementia they have, according to a study published in the September 11, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Sep 2019

Higher levels of serotonin after a seizure linked to lower incidence of breathing problems

Could a chemical produced by the brain that regulates mood, sleep and breathing also be protective in people with epilepsy? New research has found that higher levels of serotonin in the blood after a seizure are linked to a lower incidence of seizure-related breathing problems called apneas, when a person temporarily stops breathing.

5 Sep 2019

Longer NFL careers and certain playing positions portend greater health risks

Longer NFL careers and certain playing positions appear to each spell greater long-term risk for serious cognitive problems such as confusion, memory deficits, depression and anxiety in former football players, according to a new report published Aug. 30 in The American Journal of Sports Medicine.

30 Aug 2019

AAN publishes new guideline on vaccinations for people with multiple sclerosis

Can a person with multiple sclerosis get regular vaccines? According to a new guideline, the answer is yes. The guideline, developed by the American Academy of Neurology, recommends that people with MS receive recommended vaccinations, including yearly flu shots.

28 Aug 2019

Supervised exercise following concussion improves recovery, study suggests

After a sports-related concussion, traditional recovery recommendations have previously called for weeks or months of rest, depending on the duration of a person's symptoms.

28 Aug 2019

New blood test may flag concussion in CT-negative patients

Many patients with concussion have normal CT scans and are discharged from the hospital without follow-up.

27 Aug 2019

Research reveals link between concussions and erectile dysfunction in former NFL players

Former professional football players who have experienced concussion symptoms, including loss of consciousness, disorientation or nausea after a head injury, are more likely to report low testosterone and erectile dysfunction (ED), according to research published Aug. 26 in JAMA Neurology.

26 Aug 2019

Developing a blood test to spot subconcussive injuries as early as possible

In one of the largest studies of its kind, researchers at Orlando Health are making new progress in finding ways to detect a traumatic yet sinister brain injury -- and getting closer to preventing further damage.

26 Aug 2019