A soft concussion caused by amateur sports may not cause cognitive impairment, but repeated injuries can

A single soft concussion during amateur sports does not cause long-term cognitive impairment. last examination found.

This conclusion may seem contradictory a lot of research on head injuries and concussions in sports. But a closer look at the study shows that the results aren’t all that different: Experiencing repeated concussions is not a good thing.

The study is part of a large-scale community-based study longitudinal study looking at how well brains age and what factors may escalate the risk of dementia. Given the recent high-profile court cases brought by athletes with brain injuries and emerging evidence that concussion impairs cognitive function later lifeIt makes sense to analyze previous concussion cases in such a long-term study.

The study asked more than 15,000 people aged 50-90 to recall previous head injuries, including where and how they occurred (e.g. playing sports, a car accident) – along with symptoms such as loss of consciousness, dizziness and blurred vision. Participants’ behaviour and cognitive abilities were also tested annually for four years.

The results showed that one soft concussion while playing sports did not cause any behavioral or cognitive problems later in life. In fact, people who suffered one soft concussion while playing sports performed slightly better on some tests, probably because of the general benefits of regular exercise.

However, as the number of historical concussions increased, this effect faded and performance declined. Concussions outside of sports showed the same basic pattern—one concussion did not lead to worse performance, but repeated concussions did.

Basically, no matter how you get a concussion, the more concussions you get, the greater your risk of a worse long-term outcome. That’s why professional athletes, especially in contact sportsare at greater risk of brain injury.

The study results are complicated. They include a mix of results, divided into different groups with different numbers of concussions.

The fact that one concussion did not cause cognitive deficits does not necessarily mean that there is no injury. There is a concept cognitive reservethe concept that the brain is resilient enough that it can withstand some damage and still function normally.

This is a good thing. It’s a bit like a tire that can still function with a compact loss of air. If you reach a point where too much air has escaped and the tire is flat, it won’t function anymore. In the meantime, you may also notice a change in the tire’s performance.

The same goes for any soft brain injury. A little bit and the brain can handle it. But over time, if you add more trauma, performance drops and you reach a point where the brain can become “flat.”

That is why it is so essential to “recognize and remove” players from playing following a sports-related concussion.

Having one concussion doesn’t automatically mean you’ll develop problems later in life. But the more concussions or soft brain injuries you have, the worse the effects can be—whether you’re a professional athlete or not.

This study only included mild concussions – Defined as a head injury followed by a loss of consciousness lasting less than 30 minutes or a feeling of being dazed or disoriented. More moderate or severe concussions can have a greater impact, especially if there are multiple concussions.

On the other hand, one soft injury does not diminish all the benefits that sports participation can have on brain health. Factors associated with sports participation, such as increased exercise AND social support They are known to have a positive impact on cognitive functions in later life.

These factors, as well as many other lifestyle factors – such as not smoking, moderate alcohol consumption and a well diet – can provide protection against minor adversities.