Combining brain scan images with machine learning, researchers identified a number of brain changes following TBI that share similarities with Alzheimer's disease. The findings add to the growing body of evidence that the two conditions follow the same trajectories.
A newly developed reparative hydrogel, which researchers are dubbing "brain glue", protects against loss of brain tissue following a TBI and can aid in functional neural repair.
Birth control pills high in progesterone might be a new weapon in the fight against concussion in women. Researchers found that during the menstrual cycle, when progesterone levels were higher, women reported less concussion-related stress. Post-concussion stress reduction is a sign of recovery from a head injury. Progesterone is also linked to increased blood flow to the brain.
In veterans who suffered a TBI, lack of sleep was associated with enlarged perivascular spaces and an increase in post-concussive symptoms.
A single head injury can increase the risk of developing dementia, especially in women. Suffering more than one head injury increases the risk further, a new study reports.
Lack of sleep, pre-existing mental health conditions, and increased stress appear to be key symptoms of post-concussion syndrome, a new study reports.
Smaller brain volumes in the cingulate cortex, insular, and superior frontal cortex predict an increased likelihood of developing PTSD three months after brain injury.
Altered microRNA levels in a person's saliva can help determine if they have experienced a recent concussion. The new saliva test is a cheap and non-invasive method for the identification of concussion.
Concussions could have lasting implications on sleep, a new study reports. People who experienced concussion reported sleep disturbances, daytime drowsiness, and fatigue that were persistent months after their injury.
Researchers identified a specific neural network that positively responds to melatonin following concussion in children. Results suggest melatonin may help compensate for normal brain function that has been interrupted due to injury caused by concussion and helps prevent sleep disturbances.
People who suffer repetitive head injuries experience increased symptoms of depression and a greater risk of cognitive decline as they age. Those with a history of repetitive head injuries and TBI that resulted in a loss of consciousness reported higher levels of mental health problems, including depressive symptoms.
Even without a concussion, repetitive impacts experienced by those who play contact sports have clear effects on the brain. Rugby players who reported no concussions had alterations in the microstructure of the brain, specifically in the brain stem. Alterations in the functional organization of the brain were also discovered in MRI images of those who played contact sports.