A promising new study at the University of Rochester may provide useful information in understanding how a concussion affects the brain and why persons who have sustained a concussion develop an array of problems including memory impairment, sleep disturbances, depression and impaired judgment.
If the medical profession can understand the mechanism of concussions and brain injury, they will be in a better position to develop new and effective ways to treat individuals suffering from the post concussive syndrome and the long term consequences of brain damage.
The study is report in the online edition of the Journal of Neurotrauma. It shows that mice with mild, repetitive traumatic brain injury (TBI) develop many of the same behavioral problems, such as, that have been associated with the condition in humans.
A statement released by the University of Rochester reported, “This new model captures both the clinical aspects of repetitive mild TBI and CTE,” said Anthony L. Petraglia, M.D., a neurosurgeon with the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and lead author of the study. “While public awareness of the long-term health risk of blows to the head is growing rapidly, our ability to scientifically study the fundamental neurological impact of mild brain injuries has lagged.”
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