An article published in Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach demonstrates that giving athletes the skills necessary to report a concussion could be a useful way to address the issue of under-reported concussions.

Since TBIs are not studied as a domestic violence issue, clinicians are often unprepared for disclosures of domestic violence and may attribute survivors’ concussion-like symptoms to mental illness or trauma from abuse. Meanwhile, many of the organizations aimed at helping survivors of domestic violence are not prepared to help with TBIs.

According to Medscape, a study found the "risk for developing MS overtime nearly doubled in this population compared with people without a history of concussion."

A $2.2 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention allowed researchers at Case Western Reserve University to study how to assist students who are recovering from TBIs to return to school and funding programs such as the Return to Learn program in Washington state.

A clinical report in Pediatrics by Andrew Watson et al., generated by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness discusses risk factors and prevention tactics for youth injuries in soccer.

In an interview for Contemporary Pediatrics, two doctors discuss some effective treatments for dealing with concussion symptoms in children.

Given that collisions from heading are the main cause of concussions in soccer, the University of Washington Sports Institute saw a need for a program to help teach youth soccer players better heading techniques. As a result, they launched the Aerial program in collaboration with a former professional player and another organization.

Currently, patients are not tested for traumatic brain injuries in forensic nursing exams following domestic violence, strangulation, or rape. However, according to a study in the Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma conducted by Bridget Ralston et al. from the University of Arizona, testing for TBIs could help victims seek and receive proper medical care.

In an article published in The Sport Journal, Luis Gude and Gillian Hotz, from the University of Miami, argue that cheerleading involves complex acrobatic maneuvers that put participants at risk for serious injuries—especially concussions; denying that cheerleading is a sport means denying its participants access to the same concussion resources provided for other athletes.

Researchers tested male and female adolescent mice, with different severities of TBI, for sensitivity to the rewarding effects of cocaine. The male mice showed increased sensitivity after TBI, but the females with high levels of female sex hormones at the time of their TBI showed neuroprotection against cocaine sensitivity.

Researchers at UC San Francisco have done an extensive review of cases involving children with post-concussion syndrome (PCS). They have established what treatments are most applicable for different symptoms.

While concussion in sports discussions often focus on football, in high school by far the biggest culprit is girl’s soccer. While the explanation for this gender gap in concussion risk is debated (some claim a later neck muscle development in girls), the difference of 12.1% more concussions in girls than boys is shocking (34.5% to 22.4%).

Concussion Alliance provided educational components for the Sports and Traumatic Brain Injury conference, hosted by the Northwest Brain Injury Symposium (NWBIS). The event was part of the NWBIS lecture series and compliments the Smithsonian traveling exhibit “Hometown Teams.”

Concussion Alliance is now partnering with TeachAids to further our mutual concussion education efforts. Concussion Alliance connected the Northwest Brain Injury Symposium with the CrashCourse film, which they presented at their July conference.

This article is a brief history on the research into light therapy (photobiomodulation) using LED light devices as a potential treatment for mTBI, persistent post-concussion symptoms, and possible CTE.

The Canadian company PreveCeutical Medical has developed a sustained-release CBD formulation of their Sol-gel pain-relief technology. These easy-to-use treatments release cannabinoids into the central nervous system through nasal mucosal tissue.

A day-long course, “Evidence-based Management of Vision Deficits Following Mild to Moderate TBI” will be presented by one of the leading researchers and clinicians in the field, Neera Kapoor, OD, MS, FAAO, FCOVD-A.

Since Kelley O’Hara of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team sustained a head injury during the World Cup and immediately reentered the game, the concussion protocols for soccer have been called into question once again. The concussion rate in women’s soccer equals or exceeds the rate in men's football according to a number of high school and college studies.

Mayo Clinic has established a three-step concussion protocol called “Concussion Check” for parents and coaches to determine if athletes should return to play: first, recognize the signs of a concussion and remove the injured athlete; second, assess their memory; and finally, conduct the King-Devick eye movement test.

A leading researcher has presented two case studies with retired professional football players who had suffered repetitive head impacts and had possible CTE based on their medical history. The case studies showed that the LED and red light therapy had significant positive effects, confirmed with clinical tests, and fMRI brain scans.