A new study is showing that an association between post-concussion headaches and brain iron accumulation may offer a new lens through which to view and treat traumatic brain injuries.
The Big Picture: Dr. Puja Uppal, Family Medicine, “Keep that noggin’ safe!”
Doctor’s Expert Insights about the Concussions and Brain Health in Chatham County, Georgia
Know this: “After a concussion, certain things do change in the brain. And, this research sheds light on the connection between concussions, headaches, and increased iron in the brain. Increased Iron levels in the brain may serve as a potential biomarker for understanding brain injuries in the future–but a lot more research is needed.
You should know that concussions, even mild ones, can have lasting effects on brain health. It’s crucial to take concussions seriously. Seek proper medical attention, and allow adequate time for recovery to minimize the risk of long-term consequences on brain health.” Dr. Puja Uppal, Family Medicine.
Next Steps: The study also noted that iron levels tended to increase with the time elapsed since the injury. This may suggest a progressive aspect to this phenomenon. In other words, you want to minimize the number of concussions a person has over their entire lifetime.
Health News Today: Iron Levels in the Brain May be Used as a Test for Concussion Damage.
Key Findings for you in for Chatham County:
Methods
The study used MRI with T2* mapping to compare brain iron accumulation between individuals with acute post-traumatic headaches and healthy controls.
Statistical analyses, including paired t-tests and multiple linear regression, were employed to determine group differences and correlations between iron accumulation and various factors related to post-trumatic headace (PTH) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) severity.
Results
Lower T2* values–indicating iron…
Read the full article here
