In a video of her recent presentation at UW Medicine/Gonzaga University, researcher Christine MacDonald PhD shares several important discoveries about the impact of combat concussions on mental health. The EVOLVE study, for which she is the lead researcher, found that those who suffer combat concussions worsen over the course of their 1-year and 5-year follow-ups.

A new study has found a novel way to tell the difference between concussion patients with persistent symptoms and those who have recovered quickly by looking at their brains response time. Researchers are investigating post-concussion syndrome (PCS) by using transcranial magnetic stimulation.

USL’s announcement signals an increased willingness to address concussions in sport. However, there are two troubling aspects of this proposal. Firstly, the USL plans to amend their proposal to include a decision cutoff time of around 10 minutes. There is ample evidence to suggest that a cutoff in this time frame would be insufficient for proper diagnosis.

A new study by Cecchi et al. published in PLOS-One, explores head impact risks in water polo. Water polo is a full contact water sport where grappling is part of the strategy; it has a high potential for head injury and concussion. Researchers found that the sport poses a head impact risk to high-level collegiate players and that risks differ by positions.

Tottenham Hotspurs defender Jan Vertonghen sustained a serious concussion during the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Despite medical attention, Vertonghen was sent back in to play within 6 minutes of the injury, then nearly collapsed. The incident has caused international consternation about concussion rules in soccer, and their enforcement.

The nonprofit TeachAids.org, which was spun out of Stanford University, has been working to create “concussion education reimagined for today’s generation.” Their first product is a CrashCourse, a 10-minute video which was filmed in Virtual Reality and HD. The viewer is set on the field during a football game and must choose whether to leave the game after a significant hit.

For the first time, the University of Calgary will be providing a free, non-credit online course “Concussion: prevention, management, and treatment.”

The course runs from April 8 to May 27, 2018, and is part of the Universite of Laval’s Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) program. Anyone from anywhere in the world can take the course, which is in English.

Doctoral researcher Rebecca Denniss tells Concussion Alliance about her research investigating the potential for micronutrients to improve cognition following traumatic brain injury.

Get to know a little more about Concussion Alliance’s December College Interns and their work in research analysis, science writing, fundraising and outreach efforts, and website and program design

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.

Acupuncture has recently gained legitimacy in the eyes of western medical providers, and in our experience acupuncture has helped with concussion symptoms such as headaches, brain fog, related neck and jaw pain, and mood. Individual acupuncture treatments can cost $75-100 per session, while treatment at a Community Acupuncture clinic typically is a sliding scale price of $20-50 per session.

CBD products from marijuana will have accurate labeling for purity and cannabinoid content, where the sale of marijuana is legalized. CBD products from hemp are unregulated, so we recommend purchasing from CBD hemp companies vetted by the online community Reddit. An advantage of marijuana products is that THC also has some neuroprotective qualities, and works synergistically with CBD to enhance medical benefits.

World Health Organization (WHO) report: CBD has a "good safety profile" and "may be a useful treatment" for numerous medical conditions. In June 2018, WHO will do a further review of extracts or preparations containing almost exclusively CBD.