Head injuries affect brain function in later life: study

Each additional reported concussion was linked to progressively worse cognitive function.

Published : Feb 23, 2023 10:40 IST

Just one moderate-to-severe concussion, or traumatic brain injury, can have a long-term impact on brain function, including memory. 

Just one moderate-to-severe concussion, or traumatic brain injury, can have a long-term impact on brain function, including memory.  | Photo Credit: BULAT SILVIA

A major new study, the largest of its kind, has found that experiencing three or more concussions is linked with worsened brain function in later life.

Teams at the universities of Oxford and Exeter led the work, and the findings were published in Journal of Neurotrauma. The research included data from more than 15,000 participants of an online study called PROTECT who were aged between 50 and 90 and based in the UK. Participants in PROTECT share detailed lifestyle information and complete a suite of cognitive tests every year for 25 years. This rich mine of data helps researchers understand how the brain ages and the factors involved in maintaining a healthier brain in later life.

The researchers found that people who reported three or more concussions had significantly worse cognitive function; those who had four or more mild concussion episodes also showed worsened processing speed and working memory. Each additional reported concussion was linked to progressively worse cognitive function. Attention and completion of complex tasks were particularly affected. It also found that having just one moderate-to-severe concussion, or traumatic brain injury, can have a long-term impact on brain function, including memory.

“We know that head injuries are a major risk factor for dementia, and this large-scale study gives the greatest detail to date on a stark finding: the more times you injure your brain in life, the worse your brain function could be as you age.

“Our research indicates that people who have experienced three or more even mild episodes of concussion should be counselled on whether to continue high-risk activities. We should also encourage organisations operating in areas where head impact is more likely to consider how they can protect their athletes or employees,” lead investigator Dr Vanessa Raymont of the University of Oxford said.

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