concussion

The eyes are more than windows to the soul; they are also windows to detecting traumatic brain injury, thanks to researchers at the University of Birmingham who have developed a non-invasive, handheld device that shines a safe laser into the eye to detect biomarkers of brain tissue damage following a concussion or other traumatic brain injury. The device could be used on-site at the time of injury, ensuring the early diagnosis that’s critical to improving outcomes.Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can follow a forceful bump,…

The wobbly walk. The dazed look. Hands grasping head.Anthony Davis’ behavior after sustaining an elbow to the head Wednesday night was a scary sight.TNT’s Chris Haynes reported after Golden State’s 121- 106 win over the Lakers that Davis “appears to have avoided a concussion.” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said Thursday that Davis isn’t showing signs of a concussion and the Lakers listed Davis as probable for Game 6 on Friday night. That is great news for the Lakers. A look at the NBA’s concussion policy could shed some light…

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have found that mild concussions can cause long-lasting effects on the brain, altering how brain regions communicate with each other and potentially leading to long-term symptoms such as fatigue and cognitive impairment. Despite a lack of obvious structural damage in routine brain scans, the study revealed that the thalamus, the brain’s relay system, becomes hyperconnected following a concussion. This overcompensation may be the cause of persistent symptoms experienced by…

Concussions are a type of brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body that can shake the brain inside the skull. They are a common type of injury in contact sports such as football, soccer, and hockey, as well as in activities such as cycling, skateboarding, and horseback riding. Symptoms of a concussion can include headache, dizziness, confusion, sensitivity to light and noise, and memory problems.A new study published in <span class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt"…

Several years ago, I was at a pre-season football practice at a high school where I was working with the team on a concussion research project.  The players were lined up in two rows facing each other and with little more instruction from the coach than, “on the whistle, hit the man across from you,” grave concern rushed through my mind. Professional sports get the lion’s share of attention, but concussions are a significant medical issue at all levels of play. While roughly 1,700 athletes play professional football each…

The drug was also shown to cause sustained gains in working memory.UCSF researchers use ISRIB to block the molecular stress response in order to restore cognitive function.ISRIB, a tiny molecule identified by the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) researchers can repair the neural and cognitive effects of concussion in mice weeks after the damage, according to a new study.ISRIB blocks the integrated stress response (ISR), a quality control process for protein production that, when activated chronically, can be…

A new study has shed light on how an experimental drug can reverse some of the neural damage associated with traumatic brain injury. The findings lay the groundwork for a future drug that could potentially prevent the cognitive deficits that follow on from concussion.The findings come from a team of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco investigating a signaling pathway called the integrated stress response (ISR). This is a general cellular mechanism that is triggered in the presence of environmental…

Woodpeckers spend all day hammering their head on tree trunks, using their beak to make holes and digging insects out of those holes for a meal. The birds’ distinctive drumming and drilling had led researchers to hypothesize that the bone between woodpeckers’ beak and braincase must absorb shocks to protect their brain from concussions. But a new study suggests that their head and beak act like a stiff hammer for optimal pecking performance rather a shock-absorbing system to cushion the brain. “What this bird has to do…

Many people will experience a concussion at some point during their life – whether that's from contact sport, or just an unfortunate fall. But even a 'mild' version of this injury can cause long term health impacts for a portion of those who experience it.  A new study from a team of researchers across New Zealand has found that up to eight years later, adults who had experienced a mild concussion reported more ongoing symptoms, depression, and problems with work than those who never had one.This is not to say that all…

The inherent difficulties in properly diagnosing concussion have scientists searching far and wide for biomarkers that clearly reveal the extent of a brain injury. For scientists at the Houston Methodist Research Institute, this search has led them to the communities of bacteria in the gut, where they've found that changes following a concussion could be used to reveal the state of recovery.Where severe consequences of an impact to the head such as skull fractures or brain swelling may show up through X-ray imaging or CT…