We all want to keep our friends and family safe. That includes protecting them from outside harm and making sure that they won’t get hurt. The problem is that it cannot always be prevented. One example of an adolescent child getting hurt is through a concussion and it is even more common to occur if that child is in sporting events. A concussion is described to be a traumatic brain injury (TBI) resulting from a blow to the head causing the brain to move back and forth at a fast pace [1]. This rapid and sudden movement causes the brain to form chemical changes and sometimes damage important brain cells [1]. A picture of what the brain is exposed to during a concussion is shown in the figure below. Concussions are potentially very dangerous as any damage to your brain can cause detrimental long term effects.
A study on the neurometabolic cascade of concussion went into detail on what goes on in a person’s head when their brain experiences a concussion. Biomechanical injuries caused by a concussion lead to ionic flux and glutamate release triggering voltage gated ion channels [2]. This leads to the brain increasing ATP pumping to restore homeostasis, but in turn causes depletion of cellular energy reserves leading to multiple dysfunctions such as altered neurotransmission [2]. This shows a possible energy crisis involved after a concussion, possibly impairing other important mechanisms throughout the body. Because of this, important mechanisms may not be able to perform as adequately after the concussion symptoms have subsided.
With these multiple changes happening in your brain, this can result in possible axonal injury causing potential damage to important sections. According to the same study on concussions, axonal injury causes disruption in transports resulting in impaired cognition, slowed processing, and slowed reaction times [2]. This implies that concussions can lead to impairment and possible destruction of neuronal receptors leading to become difficult in processing information and possible difficulty in motor behavior. This is scary to think about because this makes it possible that concussions could even cause paralysis.
After a person experiences a concussion, there is a chance that post-concussive symptoms will stay. It should be known that while they are rare for a person who experiences one concussion, these symptoms can become more likely to occur in somebody that has had multiple concussions in a short period of time. Such as if they had repeated blows to the head in a football game. Some of these long term symptoms include but are not limited to headache, dizziness, memory problems, irritability, insomnia, depression, sensitivity to noise and light, and sometimes it can even cause a personality change [3]. With these effects in mind, it is no wonder why people say it is important to wear your bike helmet.
From these studies on concussions, people should be able to understand the dangers of concussions when doing a very physical activity that can involve the safety of your well being. The brain is the most important organ in your body and it is every person’s job to make sure it is protected from any outside harm it may come across.
