Concussions May Cause Year-Long Brain Damage in Athletes
For comparison, researchers also examined 27 athletes who had not experienced a concussion.
A new study suggests that concussions may cause brain damage in athletes for at least a year, even after medical clearance to play.
Published in the journal Neurology on Wednesday, the research revealed that brain changes remained detectable in MRI scans up to a year after athletes returned to their sport.
“The presence of significant, long-lasting brain changes after injury reinforces concerns about the effects of repeated concussions and how these may accumulate over time,” lead researcher Nathan Churchill stated in a news release, as reported by UPI.
The study analyzed 187 college athletes, including 25 who had suffered a concussion while playing basketball, football, hockey, lacrosse, rugby, soccer, or volleyball.
For comparison, researchers also examined 27 athletes who had not experienced a concussion.
Researchers conducted MRI scans before the season began and at intervals of five days, one to three months, and one year after the athletes returned to play following a concussion.
Concussions brain damage MRI scans taken about five days after a concussion showed clear signs of brain injury, despite doctors medically clearing the athletes.
“This is crucial because early return to play and incomplete recovery could lead to serious short-term and long-term consequences, particularly in younger athletes,” experts noted in an editorial accompanying the study.