Teenage brains especially vulnerable to brain damage following sports related concussion
Adolescents have the poorest recovery following a sports related concussion according to an article published in the journal Brain Injury. [Annie Baillargeon et al., "Neuropsychological and Neurophysiological Assessment of Sport Concussion In Children, Adolescents and Adults"]
The study authors found that teenagers are especially vulnerable to the long term effects of brain trauma, especially following a sports related concussion.
Researchers recruited 96 male sports participants ages nine through 26--half of whom had had a diagnosed concussion in the past year. Using a battery of memory, attention, motor tests and EEG monitors, the researchers found that all of the concussed athletes showed reduced working memory. But, the adolescents had the most cognitive impairment, even if months had passed since their injury, and they reported feeling just fine.
You can access the article in Brain Injury by clicking here.
Would like more info on this subject and how a tbi at age 15 can affect a person later in life from say 60years on up
Posted by: joanne piette | March 02, 2012 at 11:16 AM