Athletes can experience brain damage from head trauma even if they do not initially experience the symptoms of concussions, according to a Purdue University study described in a school news release.
Researchers monitored the helmets of 21 high school football players and found that four of the players were diagnosed through traditional methods. An additional four athletes who did not demonstrate concussion symptoms had measureable brain impairment worse than the players with diagnosed concussions.
Researchers also found a correlation between the number of hits a player took to the head and the level of impairment on the ImPACT tests, a measurement of the athlete's reaction time and cognitive abilities.
Read the Purdue University release on brain damage.
Read other coverage on concussions:
- Mayo Clinic to Host Ice Hockey Concussion Summit
- Congress Considering Student Athlete Concussion Legislation
- Cleveland Clinic Conducts Research on Equipment for Concussion Prevention
Researchers monitored the helmets of 21 high school football players and found that four of the players were diagnosed through traditional methods. An additional four athletes who did not demonstrate concussion symptoms had measureable brain impairment worse than the players with diagnosed concussions.
Researchers also found a correlation between the number of hits a player took to the head and the level of impairment on the ImPACT tests, a measurement of the athlete's reaction time and cognitive abilities.
Read the Purdue University release on brain damage.
Read other coverage on concussions:
- Mayo Clinic to Host Ice Hockey Concussion Summit
- Congress Considering Student Athlete Concussion Legislation
- Cleveland Clinic Conducts Research on Equipment for Concussion Prevention