PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Study shows first link between altitude and concussion

Athletes experience fewer concussions at higher elevations

2013-12-09
(Press-News.org) Contact information: David Kelly
david.kelly@ucdenver.edu
303-503-7990
University of Colorado Denver
Study shows first link between altitude and concussion Athletes experience fewer concussions at higher elevations AURORA, Colo. (Dec. 9, 2013) – A new study shows that high school athletes playing at higher altitudes suffer fewer concussions than those closer to sea-level, a phenomenon attributed to physiological changes in the brain causing it to fit more tightly in the skull.

"This is the first time any research has linked altitude to sports-related concussion," said Dawn Comstock, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health and co-author of the study. "It appears that when you are at altitude there may be a little less free space in the skull so the brain can't move around as much."

The study, first-authored by David Smith, MD, of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, was published recently in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine.

The researchers analyzed concussion statistics from athletes playing multiple sports in 497 high schools from across the U.S. with altitudes ranging from 7 feet to 6,903 feet with 600 feet being the median. They also examined football separately since it has the highest concussion rate of high school sports. The numbers came from the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance System directed by Comstock.

The results showed a 31 percent decrease in concussion rates among all high school sports played at altitudes of 600 feet and above. Concussion rates for high school football players at these altitudes decreased by 30 percent.

"We did see significant differences in concussion rates with elevation changes," Comstock said. "This could mean that kids in Colorado are less likely to sustain a concussion playing sports than kids in Florida."

While reasons for these declines are unclear, the study suggests a possible explanation - as one ascends in altitude blood vessels in the brain undergo mild edema or swelling. This swelling along with other physiological changes cause the brain to fit more tightly in the skull so that it cannot move around as violently when struck. Sports-related concussions usually result from the brain colliding with the skull following a blow to the athlete.

"Vasogenic edema in the brain leads to increased extravascular water," the study says. "These two adaptations would also lead to a tighter packaging of the brain with increased blood cell content surrounding the brain."

Comstock said the next step may be to look at professional sports.

"If this study is correct, we should look to replicate our findings in the National Football League," Comstock said. "For example, if the Broncos play the Chargers in San Diego or the Dolphins in Miami they should experience more concussions than when they play here in Denver."

The incidence of concussion among high school athletes has grown tremendously. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate the annual incidence of sports-related traumatic brain injury in the U.S. at 1.6 million to 3.8 million with many more going undiagnosed. In a recent 10-year period there has been a 100 percent increase among 8 to 13-year-olds and a 200 percent increase among 14 to 19-year-olds in sports-related emergency room visits for concussion.

Comstock said sports equipment hasn't changed in decades and this study could possibly pave the way for the design of new protective equipment to reduce concussions.

Interestingly, scientists found that putting mild pressure on a rat's jugular vein increased pressure on the brain and reduced injury from concussion by 83 percent.

"There are many possibilities here," Comstock said. "But we are just beginning to understand the connections between altitude and concussion." ### END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Inflammation in prostate may reduce cancer risk

2013-12-09
Inflammation in prostate may reduce cancer risk MANHASSET, NY – Doctors at the North Shore-LIJ Health System have discovered that increased inflammation in the prostate may predict reduced risk for prostate cancer. The findings are published online ...

Ovarian cancer discovery deepens knowledge of survival outcomes

2013-12-09
Ovarian cancer discovery deepens knowledge of survival outcomes 10-gene biomarker identified as a tool in evaluating diagnosis, potential response to treatment and overall prognosis LOS ANGELES (Dec. 9, 2013) – Researchers in the Women's Cancer Program at ...

REiNS collaboration seeks common outcome measures for neurofibromatosis clinical trials

2013-12-09
REiNS collaboration seeks common outcome measures for neurofibromatosis clinical trials Initial consensus recommendations for studies of NF appear in special supplement to Neurology Philadelphia, Pa. (December 9, 2013) - As potentially effective new treatments ...

Peaceful bumblebee becomes invasive

2013-12-09
Peaceful bumblebee becomes invasive Bombus terrestris invades South America Bumblebees look cute. They have a thick fur, fly somewhat clumsily and are less aggressive than honeybees or wasps. They are very much appreciated by farmers as keen pollen collectors. ...

Better preparedness against Tamiflu-resistant influenza viruses

2013-12-09
Better preparedness against Tamiflu-resistant influenza viruses Swedish researchers in Umeå and Uppsala have found that residues of the influenza drug Tamiflu in our environment can make the influenza virus in birds resistant. This can have serious ...

How 'good cholesterol' stops inflammation

2013-12-09
How 'good cholesterol' stops inflammation Researchers at the University Hospital and the University of Bonn have discovered a central molecular switch High-density lipoprotein (HDL), known colloquially as "good cholesterol", protects against dangerous deposits ...

ABC transporters enable leaf beetle larvae to accumulate defensive precursors when feeding

2013-12-09
ABC transporters enable leaf beetle larvae to accumulate defensive precursors when feeding Similar membrane proteins play a crucial role in the transport of toxic substances out of the cell This news release is available in German. Scientists ...

Recycled plastic proves effective in killing drug-resistant fungi

2013-12-09
Recycled plastic proves effective in killing drug-resistant fungi IBN and IBM discover new medical application for converted PET bottles Singapore, December 9, 2013 – Researchers at Singapore's Institute of Bioengineering ...

Reproductive Health Matters announces publication of its latest themed issue: New development paradigm

2013-12-09
Reproductive Health Matters announces publication of its latest themed issue: New development paradigm London, December 9, 2013 – The world is still underfunding health: so what kind of new development paradigm will succeed in ensuring comprehensive and equitable ...

Life and work -- 1 and the same?

2013-12-09
Life and work -- 1 and the same? London, Los Angeles CA (09 December, 2013). Flexible workplaces may seem attractive when considering work-life balance but new research being published shows it's not unusual for firms to cash-in, profiting from our "free" time ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Cheese may really be giving you nightmares, scientists find

Study reveals most common medical emergencies in schools

Breathable yet protective: Next-gen medical textiles with micro/nano networks

Frequency-engineered MXene supercapacitors enable efficient pulse charging in TENG–SC hybrid systems

Developed an AI-based classification system for facial pigmented lesions

Achieving 20% efficiency in halogen-free organic solar cells via isomeric additive-mediated sequential processing

New book Terraglossia reclaims language, Country and culture

The most effective diabetes drugs don't reach enough patients yet

Breast cancer risk in younger women may be influenced by hormone therapy

Strategies for staying smoke-free after rehab

Commentary questions the potential benefit of levothyroxine treatment of mild hypothyroidism during pregnancy

Study projects over 14 million preventable deaths by 2030 if USAID defunding continues

New study reveals 33% gap in transplant access for UK’s poorest children

Dysregulated epigenetic memory in early embryos offers new clues to the inheritance of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

IVF and IUI pregnancy rates remain stable across Europe, despite an increasing uptake of single embryo transfer

It takes a village: Chimpanzee babies do better when their moms have social connections

From lab to market: how renewable polymers could transform medicine

Striking increase in obesity observed among youth between 2011 and 2023

No evidence that medications trigger microscopic colitis in older adults

NYUAD researchers find link between brain growth and mental health disorders

Aging-related inflammation is not universal across human populations, new study finds

University of Oregon to create national children’s mental health center with $11 million federal grant

Rare achievement: UTA undergrad publishes research

Fact or fiction? The ADHD info dilemma

Genetic ancestry linked to risk of severe dengue

Genomes reveal the Norwegian lemming as one of the youngest mammal species

Early birds get the burn: Monash study finds early bedtimes associated with more physical activity

Groundbreaking analysis provides day-by-day insight into prehistoric plankton’s capacity for change

Southern Ocean saltier, hotter and losing ice fast as decades-long trend unexpectedly reverses

Human fishing reshaped Caribbean reef food webs, 7000-year old exposed fossilized reefs reveal

[Press-News.org] Study shows first link between altitude and concussion
Athletes experience fewer concussions at higher elevations