Press release:

The harmful effects of concussion on the brain can linger long after the initial injury, a new study shows. Nearly half of all people who experienced even a mild concussion exhibited altered brain connectivity and impaired emotional and cognitive function six months post-injury.

Researchers compared brain scans of 108 people who had experienced a mild concussion to those of 76 healthy people. They also assessed those who had had a concussion for persistent symptoms.

They found that 47 percent of the people with mild concussion were not fully recovered six months post-injury, demonstrated by hyperconnectivity in the thalamus – a region of the brain that relays sensory impulses from receptors in various parts of the body to the cerebral cortex. This hyperconnectivity was associated with impaired emotional and cognitive function.

A concussion is a disruption in normal brain function caused by an external mechanical force. Even mild concussions have been shown to elicit acute and chronic damage to the brain. Symptoms of concussion include depression, cognitive impairment, headaches, and fatigue, many of which are still present as late as six months post-injury. People who experience three or more concussions tend to exhibit cognitive deficits that worsen with each subsequent concussion.

These findings indicate that even mild concussions can have long-term deleterious effects on the brain. Evidence suggests that sulforaphane, a bioactive compound derived from broccoli, promotes recovery from concussion. Learn more in this clip featuring Dr. Rhonda Patrick.

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