Research Paper: Concussions and Their Severity

The brain injury that I chose to research was concussions. Concussions are a commonly known brain injury, especially in the sports industry where head collisions happen quite frequently. Concussions can affect many parts of the brain and some of the symptoms and damage can last for decades after the injury occurs. While concussions are a common injury, they can often be missed in a diagnosis if the symptoms are minor. Luckily since concussions are quite common, the treatments for them are well known.

There are many areas of the brain affected during a concussion. These areas include the temporal lobe, frontal lobe, and hippocampus. Sometimes the midbrain and the structural integrity of the brain can be damaged as well. Since the frontal lobe and temporal lobe are extremely important for a variety of reasons, symptoms of an injury in those two lobes can be prominent. Symptoms of an injury in the temporal lobe can be difficulty understanding words, difficulties with sight and hearing, poorer memory, and difficulties learning new things. Symptoms of a frontal lobe injury include a loss of the patient’s sense of smell, mood changes, and trouble focusing. In a few cases, there has been a symptom of rigid thinking, which means a loss of flexibility in thinking. In severe concussion cases in which the frontal lobe has suffered damage, paralysis in the patient. A concussion can occur from many things ranging from a normal fall to as severe as a gunshot wound. 

Most cases of a concussion occur when there is a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, a case of motor vehicle accidents, a car crash, a sports accident, and a gunshot wound. All of these incidents can cause a concussion with the most common cause being falls in children and adults. The treatments for concussions are generally well known but can vary depending upon the severity of a patient’s case. Some patients may need to go through a night of observation at home or in a hospital to ensure that symptoms aren’t worsening. In most cases, however, treatment involves rest in the beginning, both mental and physical. Patients are advised to avoid physical exertion and any activities that require focus and a lot of concentration. Slowly as the patient recovers they can add more activities that involve thinking and light physical activity. While the symptoms of a concussion do gradually resolve, studies have found that there will be long-term effects that stick around.

The experiment was carried out by researchers that were led by members of the Brain Aging and Behavior Section of the NIA Intramural Research Program (IRP). In their experiment, they compared the MRI and PET brain scans of middle-aged people who had concussions at least twenty years before to those who had never had a concussion. While the research team found no real cognitive difference, the structure and stability of the brains of the concussed participants were significantly different. According to the researchers, there were “...noticeable levels of white matter damage in their frontal lobes, temporal lobes, and hippocampus at their first study scan…” This damage was still apparent through the follow-up visits that were conducted as well. This experiment shows that patients can certainly heal their symptoms of a concussion if they rest properly however their brain has a high possibility of long-lasting changes in their frontal lobes, temporal lobes, and hippocampus.

In conclusion, concussions are a common brain injury that while being treatable, can have long-lasting damage to the brain. The common causes are falls, blows to the brain, and vehicle accidents. The most common way to treat a concussion is mental and physical rest which will use clear up symptoms in about a week to two weeks. Concussions, though common, are a serious brain injury that needs to be cared for properly by the patient and the doctor.

Bibliography:

National Institute on Aging. 2022. Brain injuries from concussions still evident decades later. [online] Available at: <https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/brain-injuries-concussions-still-evident-decades-later> [Accessed 10 March 2022].

Mayo, C., 2022. Concussion - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic. [online] Mayoclinic.org. Available at: <https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/concussion/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355600> [Accessed 10 March 2022].

Boynton, E., 2022. Single Brain Region is Key to Assessing the Impact of Repetitive Head Hits, Concussions. [online] URMC Newsroom. Available at: <https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/single-brain-region-is-key-to-assessing-the-impact-of-repetitive-head-hits-concussions> [Accessed 10 March 2022].

Mayo, C., 2022. Concussion - Symptoms and causes. [online] Mayo Clinic. Available at: <https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/concussion/symptoms-causes/syc-20355594> [Accessed 10 March 2022].

Health.qld.gov.au. 2022. Brain Map: Temporal Lobes | Queensland Health. [online] Available at: <https://www.health.qld.gov.au/abios/asp/btemporal_lobes> [Accessed 10 March 2022].