Even Light Shocks Damage The Brain
There is a lot of research on brain damage. Thanks to these it was concluded that even light bumps to the head can impair memory and thinking ability. Let’s see why even light bumps can damage the brain.
Research has been carried out on some American football and ice hockey players. These players wore special helmets during the games and none of them suffered from any type of concussion for the duration of the study.
However, the special helmets used by the players recorded some data each time they received light bumps to the head. The accelerometer present in each helmet made it possible to count and quantify the intensity and frequency of blows to the head.
Do light bumps impair learning ability and memory?
The researchers recorded a large change in the white matter of the brain. In those people who have performed tests on memory and learning ability have obtained, poor results.
The white matter is responsible for carrying messages to different areas of the brain.
This shows that we must not only pay special attention to concussions, but also to light bumps. In fact, the players had not been diagnosed with any type of concussion during the entire duration of the study. We must also keep in mind that some people take the hit and react to the impact differently.
For this reason, we need to be alert to the consequences of these head bumps. Attention must be paid to the changes they produce and their duration. This can also be permanent.
What are the consequences and symptoms of a brain injury?
Concussion is usually minor traumatic brain damage. However, it can also be very serious, caused by a sudden blow to the head or body. This head injury is accompanied by symptoms such as headache, blurred vision and some difficulty in sleeping or in normal thinking ability.
Research coordinator Dr. McAllister compared a total of eighty American football and ice hockey players.
They wore special helmets during matches and had no concussions. They were compared with as many players who practiced sports that did not involve any type of contact.
The study on the players began before the start of the sporting season and ended after the end of it. Dr. McAllister used brain scanners and performed memory and learning tests.
Results of the study
The study revealed that a total of 20% of players who played contact sports and 11% of players who instead engaged in sports that did not involve any type of contact performed the worst on verbal learning tests. and in those on memory.
These are results that would be expected from less than 1% of the normal population. Those with the poorest scores had significant changes in the surface of the corpus callosum of the brain compared to those who scored well.
The researchers say they are not surprised at the results. Some head bumps, for which concussion is not diagnosed, can actually produce brain damage that has no symptoms.
Furthermore, the scientists stressed that if a study on this topic were to be repeated in the future in search of even more detailed results, special helmets should be used.
These should be able to record and measure changes in blood flow and pressure within the brain. Such changes are manifested after repeated blows to the head.
Predictions …
In the event that there are any changes in the brain that are not due to bumps, this would certainly be a cause for concern. It must be understood that there is a concrete and significant risk when, in the course of life, you receive blows to the head.
Several strokes, however light they may be, can generate strong changes in the brain structure. This can lead to memory loss and difficulty concentrating and learning new information.
