When a concussion occurs, the first few hours are when the neurological damage really occurs, and the weeks after the injury are when the side effects start to be noticed. Neurons are forced to work overtime due to the rapid metabolism of glucose after a concussion. Hypometabolism occurs in the first few hours of the injury, and the recovery time of this hypometabolism is dependent on the degree of the concussion. This metabolism rate is not the only dependent on intensity of the concussion; the amount of damage the axonal cell membranes endure is also related to how bad the concussion is, and this axonal injury is connected to spatial learning and memory deficits. It makes sense that with worse injuries, the patient’s memory is at more risk.
The effects repeat concussions have on the brain is very influential to the person’s memory, learning ability, etc., which is why it is extremely important to make sure that a person is completely recovered before they are put back into a situation where they could potentially get another concussion. Thankfully there have been regulations limiting the amount of concussions a person can have before they can no longer play a sport. However, this poses the problem that some concussions go unreported. For many athletes playing in a game is more important at the time than their long term health.
Concussions have been a topic of debate that has essentially changed the way contact sports are played. Although many of the changes are beneficial and were necessary, I do believe that the game has changed so drastically that we may be doing more damage than good. It’s not a secret that with new padding and equipment players are more likely to use more force when coming into contact with another player. Comparing how hockey is played in 2013 and how it was played 60 years ago, the only obvious commonality they have is that it is played on ice. I’m sure the reported amount of concussions in the 1950’s would not be accurate, and neither would the amount of reported concussions in 2013, but I believe for completely different reasons. An athlete can only report so many concussions before they are out of the game, whereas in 1950 it may not have been sociably acceptable to have a concussion, both cases leading to an inaccurate number of reported concussions and an athlete that is at risk for permanent long term memory defects. As we learn more about the long lasting effects of concussions, sports are bound to change even more, which may be met with resistance, but hopefully it will help athletes in the long run.
The Concussed
