Toronto

Ankle Sprain = Lower Neurocognitive Scores?

Dustin FinkLeave a comment

According to some recent research out of Toronto, to be published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, led by Michael Hutchison this is the case.  Any athlete suffering an injury showed declines in neurocognitive testing, significantly compared to a control group.

In this study both concussed athletes and other injured athletes were compared to a control group of uninjured athletes;

For the current study, researchers at the University of Toronto gave the 20-minute computer test to 72 student-athletes, including football, hockey, and lacrosse players. Eighteen of those athletes had suffered a concussion in the past three days, and another 18 had been taken out recently by a muscle or tendon injury.

The other 36, used for comparison, were uninjured.

We would all suspect that the concussion group would decline Continue reading →

St. Michael’s Information

Dustin FinkLeave a comment

The Vancouver Sun has this information regarding the previous press release.  A lot of the information is not “ground breaking” per se, rather just a confirmation of what most have been saying for a very long time;

Although symptoms of a concussion may not be immediate, researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto have been able to show in rats that the affected portions of the brain continue to worsen as time passes during a “vulnerability phase.”

“We can see the actual neurons deteriorating for days and days afterwards,” Dr. Andrew Baker, the study’s head researcher said Wednesday. “It’s an ongoing problem and opens up the possibility that doctors can jump in there to stop it. This first step is to show we can show that it takes several days for the effects of a concussion to be visible.”

The “vulnerability phase” may just be the period during which the concussion has not recovered; if you remember back to our example of a concussion via a snow globe, the brain would be vulnerable during the time the flakes were excited.  As the brain has the “cascade” of events including the decrease in blood flow to the brain then the neurons would deteriorate due to lack of nutrients.  The physical effects of a concussion through imaging is very important, however if it takes “several days” to do this then what can we do in the meantime?

In a finding that may be more important to the military than sports was this; Continue reading →

St. Michael’s Press Release

Dustin FinkLeave a comment

St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada issued the following press release (we will be following the information that will be reported by various media outlets);

Researchers at St. Michael's Hospital will release new research on
Thursday about how traumatic brain injuries such as concussions cause
physical changes to the brain.

    The groundbreaking work will be presented as part of the celebration of
the hospital's new Keenan Research Centre. Federal Industry Minister Tony
Clement will speak at an event for donors later in the morning.

    The centre, and an adjacent education centre, are among the first in the
world and the only ones in Toronto especially built to bring researchers,
physicians and educators together to share insights and ultimately speed
the delivery of best practices to the bedside.

    The number of concussions being diagnosed in Canada is rising, in part
because doctors are better able to recognize the symptoms. The public and
the media are also more aware of the issue after several high-profile
athletes have been sidelines by concussions or had their sports careers
ended.

    The research will be presented by Dr. Andrew Baker, the hospital's chief
of critical care. Also attending the news conference will be:

Continue reading →