Concussions | Science News for Students

Concussions

Stories on traumatic brain injury and how to protect against it

football players crashing into each other

Over a season of college football, head hits that were too small to cause concussions were still linked to adverse changes in the brain stems of players.

skynesher/E+/Getty Images Plus

Brain
 
Sep 13, 2019
Routine hits in a single football season may harm players’ brains
a computer generated image of a football player tackling another football player holding the football

Football tackles can leave players sore — and sometimes suffering a concussion. But new data from professional athletes suggest that not all players sustain serious long-term brain damage from years of play.

master1305/iStockphoto

Brain
 
Sep 11, 2018
Football and hockey don’t necessarily doom players’ brains to serious damage
a woman soccer player heading a soccer ball

In a head-to-head comparison, soccer balls appeared to damage women’s brains more than men’s.

Henry Huey/Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Brain
 
Aug 21, 2018
Soccer headers may hurt women’s brains more than men’s
snowboarding athlete
People tend to view sports where people collide with each other as posing the greatest risk of head injuries. But even in solo sports, such as snowboarding, accidents can lead to serious brain trauma.
familylifestyle/iStockphoto
Health
 
Feb 15, 2018
Athletes’ head injuries can provoke surprisingly long-lasting harm
American football tackle

Football collisions can lead to head injuries. New data from brains donated to science show that from high school players to former pros, many men sustained serious permanent damage. And how much damage occurred was not always obvious, based on symptoms reported by the men’s families.

Eugene_Onischenko/iStockphoto

Brain
 
Aug 16, 2017
Many U.S. football players had brain disease, data show
brain neurons

An artist’s rendering of nerve cells in the brain. A mild head trauma can cause temporary swelling in parts of those cells. 

ktsimage/iStockphoto

Brain
 
Aug 16, 2017
Mild brain injury can cause bead-like swellings in brain cells
helmet design
Technology
 
Feb 22, 2016
New football helmets could limit brain injuries
tired football player
Health
 
Feb 16, 2016
Concussed brains need time to heal
football hit
Health
 
Jan 12, 2016
Too many football hits can change the brain
broken helmet
Body functions
 
Dec 13, 2015
Bubbles may underlie trauma’s brain injury