Concussion

Question 1

What is it?

Answer 1

the most common and least serious type of traumatic brain injury cause by a sudden direct blow or bump to the head
- movement of the brain within the skill can cause bruising, damage to blood vessels and injury to nerves

Question 2

risk factors

Answer 2

falls, high risk sports, MVA, physical abuse, and combat injuries

Question 3

signs

Answer 3

• appears dazed or stunned
• cant recall events prior to or after a hit or fall
• forgets an instruction, appears confused
• moves clumsily
• answers questions slowly
• loses consciousness
• shows mood, behavior, or personality changes

Question 4

symptoms

Answer 4

• headache or pressure in head
• N&V
• balance problems, dizziness, blurry vision
• bothered by light or noise
• feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, groggy
• confusion, concentration, memory problems
• just not feeling right or feeling down

Question 5

how soon do signs and symptoms occur

Answer 5

• typically soon after injury
• could be delayed a few hours or days

Question 6

Grades- Grade I

Answer 6

Mild: symptoms last less than 15 minutes; no LOC

Question 7

Grade II

Answer 7

Moderate
Symptoms last longer than 15 mins; no LOC

Question 8

Grade III

Answer 8

Severe
LOC lasting seconds to minutes

Question 9

red flags

Answer 9

• drowsiness or inability to wake
• one pupil larger than other
• repeat vomitting or nausea, convulsions or seizures
• headache that gets worse over time
• slurred speech, numbness, or decreased coordination
• changes in behavior, irritability, restlessness, agitation
• confusion, disorientation, amnesia

Question 10

Baseline screening

Answer 10

• neurocognitive testing
• balance and equilibrium testing
• vision testing

Question 11

second impact syndrome

Answer 11

• a second concussion is experienced before the brain has a chance to heal from the first even
• can produce severe changes including brain swelling, massive increase intracranial pressure, and brain herniation, resulting in permanent brain damage with long term disabilities or death

Question 12

post-concussion syndrome

Answer 12

• persistent post concussion symptoms lasting 3 mo or longer
• indicator of concussion severity
• rare after only one concussion

Question 13

post concussion syndrome symptoms

Answer 13

may include post traumatic seizures, increased risk of depression, and mild cognitive impairment later in life

Question 14

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

Answer 14

• a progressive neurodegenerative brain disease resulting from repetitive brain trauma

Question 15

Pathological changes from CTE

Answer 15

• diagnosis only made at autopsy by studying brain sections
• changes include tau-positive neurofibrillary tangles; neuropil threads and neocortical diffuse amyloid plaques, with or without neuritic plaques

Question 16

signs and symptoms of CTE

Answer 16

• recurrent headaches and dizziness
• cognitive impairments: memory loss; difficulty thinking, planning, and carrying out tasks eventually progressing to dementia
• mood or behavioral disturbances: depression, apathy, anxiety, suicidal thoughts or behavior, substance abuse
• impaired judgment and impose control, aggression, irritability, anger
• movement disorders (late): a small subset of individuals with CTE can develop profound weakness, atrophy, spasticity, similar to pts with ALS