concussion

Spit Test May Help Reveal Concussion Severity

2:11pm November 20, 2017

by Jon Hamilton

When a child suffers a concussion, it's very hard to tell if the brain injury will cause long-term problems. An experimental test that looks for bits of genetic material in spit might help.

Teens involved in contact sports were more likely to report concussions.

1 In 5 Teens Reports A Concussion Diagnosis

4:15pm September 26, 2017

by Greta Jochem

Doctors know that concussions can cause serious health impacts. Research now shows that rates among adolescents, especially those involved in contact sports, may be pretty high.

NC Youth Sports Tops National Safety Study

11:46am August 10, 2017

by David Ford

More than 7.8 million high school students participate in sanctioned sports each year.

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Ultimately, Mazany says she plans to keep fighting. "Yeah, this sport is not safe," she says. "But a lot of things that we do aren't safe."

Female Athletes Are Closing The Gender Gap When It Comes To Concussions

9:55am July 24, 2017

by Jon Hamilton

Gina "Danger" Mazany is a professional mixed martial arts athlete, and she's helping researchers learn more about head injuries and the female brain.

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A saliva test allowed scientists to accurately predict how long concussion symptoms would last in children.

Spit Test May Reveal The Severity Of A Child's Concussion

5:05am May 04, 2017

by Jon Hamilton

By measuring fragments of genetic material in saliva, scientists were able to accurately predict whether a young person's concussion symptoms would last days or weeks.

Coalition forces fire a Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle during a training exercise in Afghanistan's Helmand province in 2013.

Do U.S. Troops Risk Brain Injury When They Fire Heavy Weapons?

8:11am April 05, 2017

by Jon Hamilton

Some modern shoulder-fired weapons produce blast waves powerful enough to rattle the brain. A $30 million study aims to help the military figure out how much blast exposure, over time, is too much.

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Players who headed a lot of balls — an average of 124 in two weeks — were three times more likely to get a concussion compared to soccer players who rarely headed.

With Concussion Risk In Soccer, Headers May Kick It Up A Notch

4:43pm February 01, 2017

by Jessica Boddy

While a large number of the concussions in soccer come from players knocking skulls, heading the ball poses its own threat, a study finds.

Restoring sleep patterns could improve recovery after a serious brain injury.

As Sleep Improves, So Does An Injured Brain

4:50pm December 21, 2016

by Jon Hamilton

After a serious brain injury, people often sleep just a few minutes at a time. As the brain heals, sleep patterns begin to return to normal. The link suggests restoring sleep could improve recovery.

Charles Mayer, 30, of San Diego survived an IED attack while serving in Iraq in 2010, but has suffered from complications including PTSD.

War Studies Suggest A Concussion Leaves The Brain Vulnerable To PTSD

5:11pm September 26, 2016

by Jon Hamilton

Troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are far more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder if they have suffered a concussion. The reason may be a change in the brain's fear circuits.

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater lies unconscious after sustaining a particularly nasty hit to the head during a game against the St. Louis Rams in 2015. The NFL reports there were 271 diagnosed concussions last year.

NFL Report: Concussion Diagnoses Increased 32 Percent

5:26pm January 29, 2016

by Laura Wagner

The NFL says increased concussion reporting shows a positive "culture change" in the league, which is under pressure to make the game safer.