Hard Knocks: The Science of Concussions
Scientists have long known that blows to the head can be dangerous. What happens in the brain when two athletes collide on the field?
Ann C McKee, MD, VA Boston/Boston University School of Medicine
Neurological Trauma
Brain injury is all too common, but treatments are being improved constantly. Those who survive a brain injury face a lifetime of disability, with economic costs approaching $60 billion annually.
Kurth, et al. The Journal of Neuroscience, 2010.
Impacts to the head can sometimes cause traumatic brain injuries (TBI), the most common of which are concussions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in 2010, TBI accounted for 2.5 million emergency department visits, hospitalizations, or deaths, either alone or in combination with other injuries. So what happens to the concussed or injured brain? Browse through the images and their descriptions and click on the link in each caption to read the full articles.
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About the Author
Juliet M. Beverly
Juliet is the Senior Editor for BrainFacts.org. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in print journalism from Howard University in 2006, she previously worked at the Embassy of Austria in the Office of Science & Technology and for the online magazine bridges.