Photo credit: Mauricio Pastor/Wikimedia Commons
A team of researchers at Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital have published new findings regarding the impact of concussions on the brains of young athletes. The report, published July 21 in the Journal of Neurotrauma, found “noticeable changes in the brains of athletes with a history of concussions, months or even years after their last injury,” according to the Globe and Mail.
Lead by Nathan Churchill, a postdoctoral fellow in St. Michael’s Neuroscience Research Program, the report examined 43 male and female university-age athletes, approximately half of whom had a history of concussion issues. Unlike many concussion studies, Churchill’s team looked at athletes who had participated in a range of high- and low-impact sports, including football, rugby, and volleyball.
In subjects with a history of concussion, the study found that “the size, blood flow and connections in their brains were more likely to be affected than those of athletes without prior concussions,” the Globe reported.
In particular, concussions appear to have a devastating impact on the brain’s frontal lobes. The study found “a 10- to 20-per-cent reduction in volume in the frontal lobe as well as 25 to 35 per cent less blood flow to certain areas of the brain, particularly the frontal lobe.” Reduction in frontal lobe volume effects brain functions such as decision making, speech, and impulse control, all of which have been observed in older athletes who have suffered concussions.
“This is really just a snapshot of what’s going on in the brain at this point in time,” Churchill told the Globe. “And now that we’ve really shown that there’s something there, we’re actually interested in moving on and looking at multiple time points to see how does this evolve: Does it stay the same? Does it change? And do people show different symptoms or different outcomes over time as well? Now, there’s a whole pile of questions raised that we’d like to follow up with.”
While Churchill’s team has work left to do, their new report emphasizes the danger concussions pose to young people. A concussion is not, as Churchill puts it, “a short-term brain change, where you experience symptoms that last about a week and then you recover … at which point you’re effectively back to normal.”
Rather, concussions are a serious issue affecting youth across North America, one which is treated more lightly than necessary. This is especially true for young athletes who face pressure to play through the pain.
“There is this hunger, desire, the social norm says, ‘You play, you don’t sit,’” said Toronto Football Club’s (TFC) director of high performance Michael Rabasca in a Toronto Star article regarding TFC’s concussion-fighting partnership with the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. “We have too many examples of that at the pro level.”
A jarring example of this culture emerged last year in New Mexico after 16-year-old high school football player Shawn Nieto was mandated by state-wide rules to skip his championship game after being knocked unconscious in the semi-finals. Eager to see their son participate, Nieto’s family sued the school district, claiming it had “violated his constitutional right to due process, his state constitutional right to participate in extracurricular activities and interfered with his educational opportunities,” the Washington Post reported. He was granted a court-ordered injunction and approved to play.
Although Shawn ultimately emerged from the game without further injury (and with a state championship, to boot), the episode highlights the need for comprehensive concussion education for young athletes, coaches, and parents across North America.
If you, your child, or any other member of your family has suffered a concussion or similar brain injury, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers’ team of experienced lawyers today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Greg Neinstein
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