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

Single concussion may cause lasting brain damage

2013-03-12
(Press-News.org) OAK BROOK, Ill. – A single concussion may cause lasting structural damage to the brain, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology.

"This is the first study that shows brain areas undergo measureable volume loss after concussion," said Yvonne W. Lui, M.D., Neuroradiology section chief and assistant professor of radiology at NYU Langone School of Medicine. "In some patients, there are structural changes to the brain after a single concussive episode."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year in the U.S., 1.7 million people sustain traumatic brain injuries, resulting from sudden trauma to the brain. Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), or concussion, accounts for at least 75 percent of all traumatic brain injuries.

Following a concussion, some patients experience a brief loss of consciousness. Other symptoms include headache, dizziness, memory loss, attention deficit, depression and anxiety. Some of these conditions may persist for months or even years.

Studies show that 10 to 20 percent of MTBI patients continue to experience neurological and psychological symptoms more than one year following trauma. Brain atrophy has long been known to occur after moderate and severe head trauma, but less is known about the lasting effects of a single concussion.

Dr. Lui and colleagues set out to investigate changes in global and regional brain volume in patients one year after MTBI. Twenty-eight MTBI patients (with 19 followed at one year) with post-traumatic symptoms after injury and 22 matched controls (with 12 followed at one year) were enrolled in the study. The researchers used three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine regional gray matter and white matter volumes and correlated these findings with other clinical and cognitive measurements.

The researchers found that at one year after concussion, there was measurable global and regional brain atrophy in the MTBI patients. These findings show that brain atrophy is not exclusive to more severe brain injuries but can occur after a single concussion.

"This study confirms what we have long suspected," Dr. Lui said. "After MTBI, there is true structural injury to the brain, even though we don't see much on routine clinical imaging. This means that patients who are symptomatic in the long-term after a concussion may have a biologic underpinning of their symptoms."

Certain brain regions showed a significant decrease in regional volume in patients with MTBI over the first year after injury, compared to controls. These volume changes correlated with cognitive changes in memory, attention and anxiety.

"Two of the brain regions affected were the anterior cingulate and the precuneal region," Dr. Lui said. "The anterior cingulate has been implicated in mood disorders including depression, and the precuneal region has a lot of different connections to areas of the brain responsible for executive function or higher order thinking."

According to Dr. Lui, researchers are still investigating the long-term effects of concussion, and she advises caution in generalizing the results of this study to any particular individual.

"It is important for patients who have had a concussion to be evaluated by a physician," she said. "If patients continue to have symptoms after concussion, they should follow-up with their physician before engaging in high-risk activities such as contact sports."

###

"Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Longitudinal Regional Brain Volume Changes." Collaborating with Dr. Lui were Yongxia Zhou, Ph.D., Andrea Kierans, M.D., Damon Kenul, B.S., Yulin Ge, M.D., Joseph Rath, B.S., Joseph Reaume, B.S., and Robert I. Grossman, M.D.

Radiology is edited by Herbert Y. Kressel, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., and owned and published by the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. (http://radiology.rsna.org/)

RSNA is an association of more than 51,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists promoting excellence in patient care and health care delivery through education, research and technologic innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill. (RSNA.org)

For patient-friendly information on MRI, visit RadiologyInfo.org.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Biological wires carry electricity thanks to special amino acids

2013-03-12
Slender bacterial nanowires require certain key amino acids in order to conduct electricity, according to a study to be published in mBio®, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, on Tuesday, March 12. In nature, the bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens uses these nanowires, called pili, to transport electrons to remote iron particles or other microbes, but the benefits of these wires can also be harnessed by humans for use in fuel cells or bioelectronics. The study in mBio® reveals that a core of aromatic amino acids are required to turn ...

Kid's consumption of sugared beverages linked to higher caloric intake of food

2013-03-12
San Diego, CA, March 12, 2013 – A new study from the Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reports that sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are primarily responsible for higher caloric intakes of children that consume SSBs as compared to children that do not (on a given day). In addition, SSB consumption is also associated with higher intake of unhealthy foods. The results are published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Over the past 20 years, consumption of SSBs — sweetened sodas, fruit drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks ...

Prenatal exposure to pesticide DDT linked to adult high blood pressure

2013-03-12
Infant girls exposed to high levels of the pesticide DDT while still inside the womb are three times more likely to develop hypertension when they become adults, according to a new study led by the University of California, Davis. Previous studies have shown that adults exposed to DDT (dichlorodiplhenyltrichloroethane) are at an increased risk of high blood pressure. But this study, published online March 12 in Environmental Health Perspectives, is the first to link prenatal DDT exposure to hypertension in adults. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a ...

New survey reports low rate of patient awareness during anesthesia

2013-03-12
The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) and the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI) today publish initial findings from a major study which looked at how many patients experienced accidental awareness during general anaesthesia. The survey asked all senior anaesthetists in NHS hospitals in the UK (more than 80% of whom replied) to report how many cases of accidental awareness during general anaesthesia they encountered in 2011. There are three million general anaesthetics administered each year. Study findings are published in Anaesthesia, ...

Breaking the final barrier: Room-temperature electrically powered nanolasers

2013-03-12
TEMPE, Ariz. -- A breakthrough in nanolaser technology has been made by Arizona State University researchers. Electrically powered nano-scale lasers have been able to operate effectively only in cold temperatures. Researchers in the field have been striving to enable them to perform reliably at room temperature, a step that would pave the way for their use in a variety of practical applications. Details of how ASU researchers made that leap are published in a recent issue of the research journal Optics Express (Vol. 21, No. 4, 4728 2013). Read the full article at http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-21-4-4728 ...

Asterix's Roman foes -- Researchers have a better idea of how cancer cells move and grow

Asterixs Roman foes -- Researchers have a better idea of how cancer cells move and grow
2013-03-12
This press release is available in French. Researchers at the University of Montreal's Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) have discovered a new mechanism that allows some cells in our body to move together, in some ways like the tortoise formation used by Roman soldiers depicted in the Asterix series. Collective cell migration is an essential part of our body's growth and defense system, but it is also used by cancerous cells to disseminate efficiently in the body. "We have found a key mechanism that allows cells to coordinate their movement as a ...

Hearts Pest Management, Inc. Lends Their Expertise To The Victims of Pest Invasion

2013-03-12
Hearts Pest Management President, Gerry Weitz, provides his expertise in Ellen Byron's Wall Street Journal article Critter Counteroffiensive from the Personal Journal section published on February 27, 2013. Critter Counteroffensive focuses on "The tactics to take back the great room from stubborn, furry visitors.'" Gerry Weitz of Hearts Pest Management was one of six nationally recognized pest control companies and their owners to contribute to the article. The article addressed that rats, mice and larger wildlife are among the "furry visitors" that ...

The Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind Appoints Sarah Elliott as Director of Philanthropy

2013-03-12
The Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind today announced that it has appointed Sarah Elliott as director of philanthropy. Elliott will be responsible for building, developing and overseeing fundraising and communications efforts for the organization. "Sarah brings a wealth of experience in fundraising and development," said President and CEO Nancy Perkins. " We look forward to the great contribution she will make to our team as we continue to enhance opportunities for individuals with visual impairments in North Texas." Elliott has more than 13 years ...

Classic Timber Flooring Provides Superior Timber Floor Sanding and Polishing in Adelaide

2013-03-12
Committed on giving you the highest quality of service and timber products - Classic Timber Flooring - provides superior timber floor sanding and polishing in the state. Over time, timber floor looses its natural shine and lustre. Thus it needs periodic sanding and polishing. And no one can do it better than Classic Timber Flooring that have years of experience in the industry. Classic Timber Flooring is Adelaide's floor sanding and polishing professionals who can achieve a smooth finish on your timber floors that is sure to impress. We can give your home or workplace ...

JTM Food Group Introduces Specialty Pizzas, Pastas, Sandwiches, Appetizers and Breads at the 2013 International Pizza Expo

2013-03-12
JTM Food Group, a Harrison, Ohio-based company specializing in great-tasting, fully cooked, healthier menu solutions, will introduce dozens of new products at the 2013 International Pizza Expo, March 19-21 in Las Vegas, NV. The JTM booth (#2156/2158) will highlight Italian offerings to be sampled by pizzeria and pizza concept owners from coast-to-coast as more than 7,000 industry professionals are expected to attend the show. "We are very excited to participate in this year's Expo," said Mr. Scott Bonta, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, JTM Food Group. ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Thirty-year mystery of dissonance in the “ringing” of black holes explained

Less intensive works best for agricultural soil

Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation

Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests

Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome

UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership

New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll

Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes

University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025

Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025

AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials

New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age

Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker

Chips off the old block

Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia

Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry

Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19

Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity

State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections

Young adults drive historic decline in smoking

NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research

Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development

This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack

FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology

In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity

Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects

A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions

AI helps unravel a cause of Alzheimer's disease and identify a therapeutic candidate

Coalition of Autism Scientists critiques US Department of Health and Human Services Autism Research Initiative

Structure dictates effectiveness, safety in nanomedicine

[Press-News.org] Single concussion may cause lasting brain damage