A study found that females reported higher total postconcussive symptoms compared to males and that military personnel reported higher total symptoms than the civilian population.

A study found that these measures of blood oxygen variability (measured with fMRI) are significantly better at detecting concussion in athletes than widely used computerized cognitive diagnostic testing (i.e., ImPACT)

A paper published in the Journal of Neurotrauma found that children with persistent symptoms had imaging “evidence of ongoing microstructural reorganization or neuroinflammation,” highlighting the importance of delaying a child’s return to play following a concussion if symptoms are persisting.

Results from a recent study published in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine indicated that youth with exercise-induced vision dysfunction following sport-related concussion were at “a 3-folder greater risk” of developing persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS) compared to those without exercise-induced vision dysfunction.

A study published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation found that athletes with PPCS due to sports-related concussions (SRC) have elevated levels of inflammation in the brain. Of 27 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of inflammation tested for, eight were significantly higher in athletes with PPCS compared to healthy controls.

Some people recover quickly from headache after concussion, but others take much longer. How do we know as soon as possible what will be the case for someone who has had a concussion? A recent study in Cephalalgia by Marbil and colleagues tracked the progression of headaches over time in children after a new concussion. They found that post-concussion headaches were common and were more severe in those with a history of headache prior to concussion.

A study conducted by Joan Machamer et al. found that over two-thirds of concussion patients report persistent symptoms a year post-injury. At the 12 month evaluation, 50 percent of participants reported at least three symptoms, and 71 percent of participants reported that at least one symptom was new or worse than pre-injury.

A large-scale research project to study biomarkers that may predict delayed recovery in children and adolescents aged 11-18 was awarded $10 million by the National Institutes of Health. According to a UCLA press release, the research project (entitled CARE4Kids) will observe over thirteen hundred children and teens nationwide.

Melissa Martin, a former cheerleader at the University of California at Berkeley, has filed a lawsuit against the school, her coaches, and USA Cheer, for negligent treatment after being diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome.

Healing from a concussion or post-concussion syndrome can be an isolating experience, both for the person with the injury and the people supporting them. There is a surprisingly robust source of support and information to be found on online support groups. This article covers our recommended Reddit forums and Facebook groups.

The first US-based clinical trial on CBD treatment for concussion is being conducted by the University of Miami. The five-year, three-stage study is funded by a $16 million grant from Canadian company Scythian Biosciences. The clinical trial will conduct research on a pill that combines CBD and dexanabiol, which researchers believe will reduce brain inflammation. See also the Miami Herald article.