Measuring levels of a specific brain wave could lead to more objective, definitive methods of diagnosing concussions and determining when young athletes can safely return to play, according to a UT Southwestern study.
The research shows that delta waves – which decrease with age and are typically only present in adulthood in cases of disease or head injury – increased in high school football players who sustained concussions. In most patients, those levels decreased only after symptoms subsided, according to the study published in Brain and Behavior.
“Because these waves are supposed to fade as teens get older, the findings suggest the spike in delta could be a marker for not only detecting concussion, but also measuring recovery in young athletes,” said study leader Elizabeth Davenport, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Radiology, Neurology, and the Advanced Imaging Research Center at UT Southwestern. “We are one step closer to providing a clinical service that better informs patients regarding return-to-play decisions.”
Concussions occur when a bump, blow, or jolt to the head causes the head and brain to move back and forth, prompting chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching or damaging brain cells. Football is associated with the greatest number of concussions among all sports played in the U.S. These mild yet traumatic brain injuries can cause debilitating symptoms, including headaches, vomiting, and vision changes, as well as long-term cognitive problems, including confusion, lack of concentration, or memory loss.
