Concussion can alter heart function through an upset to the autonomic nervous system (ANS), part of the nervous system in charge of involuntary body processes, such as the heart beating, breathing, and digestion.

An abstract presented at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2021 Annual Meeting demonstrated that “multiple concussions [three to five] seem to disrupt the brain’s default mode network (DMN), which could increase the risk of long-term cognitive disruption,” according to an article in Medscape.