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An estimated 1.6-3.8 million concussions occur in the United States each year (Brain Research Institute)
An estimated 1.6-3.8 million concussions occur in the United States each year (Brain Research Institute)
Overview
Overview
- During concussions, the brain is pushed against the skull which causes bruising.
- Different parts of the brain move at different speeds because the brain’s composition is not uniform which causes tearing and stretching of brain/nerve tissue
- Damaged nerve fibers can heal but some may be permanently damaged and lose the ability to send signals
- Harmful chemicals, inflammation, and imbalances of ions in the brain occur as a secondary response to concussions
- Concussions create chemical imbalance in the brain that results in an “energy crisis” where potassium is leaked from cells and too much calcium is absorbed, stopping the cell from normal function
- Blood flow to the site is reduced so energy-intensive healing process becomes harder with less oxygen
Background
Background
- The first recognized relationship between brain trauma and personality changes was in 1848 when a railroad worker was hit in the head with an iron spike and after healing, he seemed to act like a different person
- 18 deaths and 159 injuries occurred within the first 10 years of the first college football game between Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania in early 1880s.
- After World War 1, many doctors reported physiological consequences from artillery shell blasts.
- Surgeons in the American Civil War reported psychiatric changes in soldiers after shell blasts.
- There were many incidents of brain trauma from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in conflicts in the Middle East
- Survivors showed behavior changes and psychological symptoms
- After death many of these soldier brains resembled tissue damage similar to veteran boxers
- Recently, clarified pathology of long term and progressive dysfunction in NFL players with behavioral changes and depression including suicidal thoughts was published by Dr. Bennet Omalu.
- He found these players had brain pathologies similar to people who had suffered multiple concussions in boxing or survived blast injuries.
- The diagnosis was CTE (chronic traumatic encepholopathy)
- This diagnosis raised many concerns within the NFL about concussions, as well as raising awareness in other sports and fields involving concussion risks
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