Repeated Blows to the Head may Knock Out Brain Function Later

Experiencing three or more concussions is linked with worsened brain function in later life, according to new research led by teams at the University of Oxford and the University of Exeter. The study findings are published in the Journal of Neurotrauma. A concussion is a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that can occur after an impact on your head. Not every bump to the head will cause a TBI. But concussions can cause noticeable symptoms that shouldn’t be ignored. These include headaches, an altered mental state, and even loss of consciousness.

Concussions are usually not life-threatening, but they can cause serious symptoms that require medical attention. Treatment may include rest, taking a break from specific activities, and pain medication. People with multiple TBIs are more likely to experience long-term adverse effects on the brain.

This new research also highlights the fact that having just one moderate-to-severe concussion, or traumatic brain injury (TBI), can have a long-term impact on brain function, including memory.

The research included data from more than 15,000 participants of the online PROTECT study, who were aged between 50 and 90 and based in the UK. They reported the severity and frequency of concussions they had experienced throughout their lives and completed annual, computerized tests for brain function.

Three Or More Concussions are Linked with Worse Brain Function in Later Life

They found that people who reported three or more concussions had significantly worse cognitive function, which got successively worse with each subsequent concussion after that. Attention and completion of complex tasks were particularly affected.

Head injuries are a major risk factor for dementia, and this large-scale study gives the greatest detail to date on a stark finding - the more times you injure your brain in life, the worse your brain function could be as you age.

Therefore, people who have experienced three or more even mild episodes of concussion should be counseled on whether to continue high-risk activities. We should also encourage organizations operating in areas where head impact is more likely to consider how they can protect their athletes or employees.

Beware of Dementia Risk After Multiple Concussion Episodes

They found that participants who reported three episodes of even mild concussion throughout their lives had significantly worse attention and ability to complete complex tasks. Those who had four or more mild concussion episodes also showed worsened processing speed and working memory. Each additionally reported concussion was linked to progressively worse cognitive function.

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Furthermore, the researchers found that reporting even one moderate-to-severe concussion was associated with worsened attention, completion of complex tasks, and processing speed capacity.

We’re learning that life events that might seem insignificant, like experiencing a mild concussion, can have an impact on the brain. These findings indicate that cognitive rehabilitation should focus on key functions such as attention and the completion of complex tasks, which we found to be susceptible to long-term damage.

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A clear message is put out to policymakers and sporting bodies, who need to put robust guidelines in place that reduce the risk of head injury as much as possible. Studies like this should be encouraged in the future to unravel the long-term risks of traumatic brain injury, including their effect on dementia risk.



Source-Eurekalert