Neuroscientists Find Damage To Brain Even With Non-Concussive Blows

Repetitive, subconcussive head blows have been proven to degrade cognitive brain function in juvenile football players, according to a group of neuroscientists. The study adds to a growing body of knowledge on the hazards of subconcussive strikes, which have been related to CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). A subconcussive shock is a blow to the head that isn’t severe enough to cause an acute concussion. According to the experts, the influence is often undetectable by the athlete or by spectators on the sidelines.

The conclusions are based on a study that is now being conducted among young football players. The researchers tracked 15 athletes aged 14 and under’s brain vital signs before and after their seasons. During their seasons, none of them were confirmed with a concussion. The findings reveal that frequent subconcussive hits had cumulative effects in neurocognitive alterations over time, explained Sanford Research’s, Thayne Munce. While additional study is needed in this area, this is the first step toward a more comprehensive understanding of juvenile contact sports in the future.

Major brain vital signs and subconcussive deficits typically go unnoticed in young contact sports, according to the results of a study done on juvenile ice hockey players. Subconcussive blows have been linked to CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is caused by repetitive head trauma. Cognitive impairments, memory loss, mood problems, and motor skill impairments are all possible side effects of the illness.

The outcomes of the research might help with brain damage prevention and treatment in sports. According to Munce, given that we can reliably detect changes linked with subconcussive impacts, we can discover the best approaches to avoid, cure, and manage any impairments, which is a vital step that is just getting started.