All Concussions Carry Long-Term Risk

iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Any kind of concussion, no matter how minor, can have serious ramifications despite the speed of recovery, according to a new study.

It’s not just severe traumatic brain injuries that affect thinking skills over a period of time, says researcher Andrew Blamire from Newcastle University in the United Kingdom, but even concussions considered mild or moderate.

Blamire and his colleagues compared the differences between healthy people and those with mild or moderate concussions by examining brain imaging studies and thinking tests, noting that injured people scored 25 percent lower than those absent any brain trauma.

While the scores appeared to even out a year later, the researchers still found evidence of brain damage on imaging tests of the concussion victims.

The study concluded it’s an important finding since nine out of ten concussions are considered mild or moderate.

Dr. Michael O’Brien, director of the sports concussion clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital, who was not part of the study, adds that people who’ve suffered any sort of brain trauma should be made aware of the structural damage a year after a concussion since it might explain continued difficulties  in school performance, physical performance and even social issues.

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