Over 2 million concussions occur every year in the US alone. A large portion is sports-related injuries, usually from football or soccer. Although most patients come out without noticeable harm, concussions kill thousands of people every year, especially when they go untreated. Even if someone recovers from a concussion, they are 6 times more likely to have another one and have more severe effects. Recent research has found that even a single concussion has lead to increased risk for neurological diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
What actually is a concussion? A concussion is basically a mild traumatic brain injury (TMI). It is often caused by the sudden acceleration/deceleration of the brain (such as in a crash, fall, or a fight). Concussions can have lasting effects on the body, including migraines and loss of senses.
Symptoms
There are a variety of different symptoms that signal that someone has had a concussion. Everyone experiences different effects - some may feel fine while others may have a splitting headache.
Physical Symptoms
Headache
nausea/vomiting
Fatigue
Blurry vision
Ringing in the ears
Mental Symptoms
Confusion
Amnesia/other memory issues
Dizziness
Blackout
Difficulty speaking/understanding questions
Personality changes
Alteration of senses
Complications
Children
Children are extremely likely to experience head trauma but these incidents often go undiagnosed. Infants and toddlers are unable to describe how they feel so it can be hard to know that they've experienced a concussion or other traumatic brain injury. Some symptoms to look out for include:
Excessive crying repeatedly
Struggling to walk or balance
Irritability
Tiredness
Change in behavior or personality
Bleeding
Concussions can cause bleeding in your brain (hemorrhages). This is more likely to occur if a second concussion is experienced before the first one is healed. It is extremely important to stay away from any activities that could cause concussions before healing completely from the first one. The bleeding is often fatal and causes rapid brain swelling. Unfortunately, symptoms do not always appear right after the injury. It is important to be aware of changes in concentration or increased drowsiness after a concussion.
Headaches
Patients can have headaches even weeks after the injury. This could be a sign of underlying damage; it is extremely important that a doctor is made aware of these symptoms immediately.
Vertigo
Vertigo (spinning or dizziness) can happen anytime after the injury, even months later. Similar to headaches, it could be a sign of underlying damage and needs to be checked out by a doctor.
Post-concussion syndrome
Post-concussion syndrome is often diagnosed in patients that have symptoms that persist 3 months after the initial injury. Patients will often have headaches, dizziness, and problems concentrating.
Diagnosis
At the moment, doctors check various senses (such as sensitivity to sound or light), examine memory, and occasionally order imaging to diagnose patients with a concussion. These diagnoses are hard to make because they rely on the patient's subjective description of the incident. It also requires that patients realize that they've had a brain injury in the first place.
Recent research has found a new way of quickly diagnosing patients. Dr. Siman from the University of Pennsylvania examined the serum concentration of SNTF of hockey players. SNTF is an αII-spectrinN-terminal fragment that is known to accumulate in the axons of neurons after a brain injury. Researchers measured the levels of SNTF in the blood of hockey players before their games, after the games, and after an injury. They found that SNTF levels are significantly elevated in the blood as soon as 1 hour after the injury and can remain high for over a week. This research will help athletes and doctors make informed decisions on whether or not they can return to their sports. This could eventually be applied to all patients with a concussion, allowing diagnoses to be easier and more accurate.
Other research conducted by researchers at the University of California San Fransico has shown that in mice that it is possible to reverse the cognitive damage from a concussion. They used an Integrated Stress Response InhiBitor (ISRIB) which appears to remove the blocks in the brain that prevent it from making new memories or learning.
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