Concussion News and Research

RSS

Scientists use SWI to study changes in brains of college-level ice hockey players with concussion

Using susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), researchers have identified microstructural changes in the brains of male and female college-level ice hockey players that could be due to concussive or subconcussive trauma.

4 Feb 2014

Study analyzing concussion data for NFL players may provide insight that could lead to safer play

A new study analyzing concussion data for NFL players during the16-game regular season schedules for 2012 and 2013 may provide insight that could lead to safer play, including a pathway for concussion-prevention strategies.

4 Feb 2014

First Edition: January 31, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about the retirement announcement by Rep. Henry Waxman and the health policy legacy he will leave behind.

31 Jan 2014

New approach to treat post-concussion syndrome may help athletes get back in game quicker

Physical and cognitive rest are traditionally what doctors prescribe for patients who suffer sport-related concussions. But a new approach to treating post-concussion syndrome may actually help athletes get back in the game quicker, according to Karl Kozlowski, PhD, assistant professor of kinesiology at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY.

28 Jan 2014

Collaboration between NFL and GE seeks to improve safety of athletes, soldiers who sustain mild TBI

When the Broncos and the Seahawks meet on the gridiron for Superbowl XLVIII, player and team statistics - passer ratings, rushing yards, sacks and fumbles - will be tossed around like, well, a football.

24 Jan 2014

Researchers use advanced neuroimaging techniques to study how concussions affect blood flow in brain

Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine will use advanced neuroimaging techniques to study area high school athletes to learn how concussions affect blood flow in the brain.

24 Jan 2014

BrainScope receives award from GE and NFL to enhance portable concussion assessment system

BrainScope Company, Inc. today announced that it has received an award from GE and the National Football League to further enhance its portable concussion assessment system by combining imaging biomarkers with its brainwave technology.

23 Jan 2014

Houston Methodist sports medicine experts discuss important facts about mouthguards

After every play, we all see the athletes adjusting their mouthguards, but what do they actually protect? Houston Methodist sports medicine experts discuss important facts about mouthguards.

22 Jan 2014

Middle-school girls often continue playing soccer with concussion symptoms

Concussions are common among middle-school girls who play soccer, and most continue to play with symptoms, according to a study by John W. O' Kane, M.D., of the University of Washington Sports Medicine Clinic, Seattle, and colleagues.

20 Jan 2014

Teens with a history of concussions more likely to suffer from depression

Teens with a history of concussions are more than three times as likely to suffer from depression as teens who have never had a concussion, finds a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

10 Jan 2014

Cognitive rest can benefit patients diagnosed with concussion

A study of 335 teen athletes diagnosed with concussion suggests that patients who comply with cognitive rest limits may recover faster than those who engage in increased cognitive activity, such as texting, reading and playing video games.

6 Jan 2014

Concussion involving momentary loss of consciousness may be related to buildup of Alzheimer's

A new study suggests that a history of concussion involving at least a momentary loss of consciousness may be related to the buildup of Alzheimer's-associated plaques in the brain.

27 Dec 2013

Research proves effectiveness of computerized neurocognitive testing for concussions

Computerized neurocognitive testing for concussions is widely used in amateur and professional sports, but little research over the past decade proves its effectiveness, a paper published this month in the journal Neuropsychology Review says.

23 Dec 2013

Repeated blows to head in contact sports may cause changes in brain's white matter

Repeated blows to the head during a season of contact sports may cause changes in the brain's white matter and affect cognitive abilities even if none of the impacts resulted in a concussion, according to a study published today in the journal Neurology.

13 Dec 2013

Blows to head may affect the brain's white matter and cognition even without concussion

New research suggests that even in the absence of a concussion, blows to the head during a single season of football or ice hockey may affect the brain's white matter and cognition, or memory and thinking abilities. The study is published in the December 11, 2013, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. White matter is brain tissue that plays an important role in the speed of nerve signals.

12 Dec 2013

Dietary amino acids improve sleep disturbances caused by brain injuries in animals

Scientists who fed a cocktail of key amino acids to mice improved sleep disturbances caused by brain injuries in the animals. These new findings suggest a potential dietary treatment for millions of people affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI)—a condition that is currently untreatable.

12 Dec 2013

Study looks at brain imaging data in veterans who suffered combat-related head injuries

In preliminary findings, Saint Louis University researchers report that veterans who suffered blast injuries have changes in brain tissue that are still apparent in images years after the blast. The data, presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, represents a small but intriguing look at brain imaging in those who suffered combat-related head injuries.

11 Dec 2013

Athletes playing at higher altitudes suffer fewer concussions

A new study shows that high school athletes playing at higher altitudes suffer fewer concussions than those closer to sea-level, a phenomenon attributed to physiological changes in the brain causing it to fit more tightly in the skull.

9 Dec 2013

NIH scientists film early concussion damage and describe brain's response to injury

There is more than meets the eye following even a mild traumatic brain injury. While the brain may appear to be intact, new findings reported in Nature suggest that the brain's protective coverings may feel the brunt of the impact.