Blog
Systematic review: no significant relationship between greater neck strength and lower risk of sports-related concussion––more research needed
A study found that there was a small, not statistically relevant relationship between greater neck strength and a lower risk of sustaining a sports-related concussion in athletes.
Chronic cannabis use may protect young adult athletes from the effects of subconcussive head impacts
A study found that athletes who used cannabis regularly had better eye focus ability and lower levels of brain inflammation compared to the non-cannabis group after repetitive subconcussive head impacts.
Retired pro soccer players: heading frequency and player position associated with risk of cognitive impairment and dementia
A study published in JAMA Network Neurology found that “repetitive heading during a professional soccer career is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment later in life” and self-reported dementias in retired male professional soccer players
Post-concussion academic supports in higher education: new efforts to address continuing gaps
A recent report by Memmini and colleagues identifies key principles of return-to-learn for college athletes to explore how non-athletes fare in the college classroom after a concussion.
Concussion Alliance & Co-Founders Featured In Slate Magazine
Concussion Alliance Co-Founders Conor Gormally and Malayka Gormally are featured in a powerful and excellently written story written by Isobel Whitcomb for Slate Magazine (Slate Magazine USA).
The risk of CTE increases by 14% per year of rugby play, even in amateurs
In October 2023, Willie Stewart et al. published a paper in Acta Neuropathologica demonstrating an association between the development of CTE and the length of a person’s rugby career.
MRI imaging and behavioral testing reveal emotional problems in female children post-concussion may be related to injury-caused delay in maturation of white matter
A study published in Biological Psychiatry
found that concussions may alter the trajectory of white matter maturation in female children and that this alteration may play a role in the onset of new depression and anxiety after concussion.
Mediterranean diet and subsequently improved gut microbiome tied to lower PTSD symptom burden in women
Findings from a recent study in Nature Mental Health exploring the gut-brain-microbiota axis revealed that those who adhered to a Mediterranean diet experienced reduced PTSD symptoms,
New imaging technique may facilitate future diagnosis of concussion via MRI
In a recent study, Lily Li-Wen Wang et al. found that macrophage-adhering GLAMs can be used to identify the presence of mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) that do not show up on standard MRI brain scans.
Mouse model shows possibilities of reversing memory deficits after repeated mild head impacts
A study published in The Journal of Neuroscience found that in mice, memory loss after being subjected to a high frequency of mild head impacts was linked to a deficiency in synaptic plasticity rather than “a loss of neural infrastructure.” There is the possibility that “cognitive impairment caused by head impact” could be clinically reversed.
Male and Female athletes have similar recovery trajectories but different symptom burdens
A study published in Sports Medicine showed the recovery trajectories for both sexes to be quite similar. However, the study authors note that females have a greater overall symptom burden during their recovery period.
Concussions associated with increased risk children developing behavioral and affective disorders
The Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics published a study that found a significant correlation between children who sustain mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs/concussions) and risk of developing affective disorders (anxiety, depression, OCD, or adjustment disorders) and behavioral disorders (ADHD or Conduct Disorder) within four years post-injury.
Concussion experts testify in Senate hearing on blast mTBI
On February 28, the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel held a hearing about traumatic brain injury from repeated blast exposure for U.S. service members. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Chairwoman of the subpanel, led the two-hour hearing in which senators questioned experts. Senator Warren said, “We need to do better for our troops, and we need to do it right now.”
Acupuncture Has Been Found to Reduce the Severity of PTSD Symptoms
A recent study has found that acupuncture has a statisticcally significant effect on reducing symptoms of PTSD.
High-intensity training is better than conventional training for locomotion, cognition, and aerobic capacity in moderate-to-severe TBI
The Journal of Neurotrauma recently published a study comparing conventional rehabilitation to high-intensity training (HIT) in patients with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury. Compared to rehabilitation, high-intensity training participants showed better outcomes in the physical tests used to measure locomotive outcomes (6-min walk test and peak treadmill speed). There were also more improvements in aerobic capacity and cognitive functioning after HIT.
“Atypical psychedelic” ibogaine shows promise as a treatment for chronic disability following TBI
A landmark study published in Nature Medicine found that ibogaine, an “atypical psychedelic” derived from the root bark of an African shrub, showed highly beneficial effects on emotional well-being and cognition in a group of Special Operations Forces (SOF) veterans with chronic illness relating to their military careers and history of traumatic brain injury (TBI), primarily mild TBIs.
The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation special issue on chronic pain
The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation dedicated its latest issue to chronic pain after TBI, featuring a series of ten papers. A press release by UW Medicine describes the team’s survey findings that about 60% of the 3,800 patients from the TBI cohort reported current or previous chronic pain.
Brain injury from intimate partner violence–a medical provider resource
There is a significant gap in knowledge and guidance on handling IPV-related injuries among medical providers. To address this gap, Canadian organizations have collaborated to develop a resource to aid healthcare professionals in understanding and managing these injuries effectively.
NPR interview with Sex with a Brain Injury author and concussion patient Annie Liontas
In Sex with a Brain Injury, On Concussion and Recovery, author Annie Liontas tells how their injuries have affected every area of their lives, including sex, marriage, work, and sense of self.
Multiple concussions negatively affect heart activity, and brain oxygen levels–and may be associated with symptoms such as headaches
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.