Newcastle University Study Shows Even Mild TBI Can Cause Lasting Damage

Chicago, IL (Law Firm Newswire) October 16, 2014 – According to a new study, even mild cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI) can affect the cognition and brain matter of patients.

Past research has focused extensively on severe cases of TBI, but there have been fewer studies completed on moderate to mild cases. However, mild and moderate cases make up about 90 percent of the total number of brain injuries caused by trauma, and the new research shows that even mild cases can have lasting effects.

“Brain injuries are different from other types of injuries that one may sustain as the result of an accident,” said Paul Greenberg, a Chicago brain injury attorney with Briskman Briskman & Greenberg. “The injury may not be immediately obvious, but the impact can be significant.”

The new study, published in Neurology, used the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) to measure the responsiveness of brain injury patients in three areas: verbal activity, eye movement and general movement. The researchers from Newcastle University found that patients with brain injuries had GCS scores significantly lower than scores from a control group.

The researchers also used diffusion tensor imaging scans to measure damage to the white matter of the brain, which forms connections between different parts of the brain. Patients with mild to moderate injuries to their brains showed damage to their white matter compared to healthy participants.

Mild cases of TBI include may include concussions and brief periods of unresponsiveness or diminished responsiveness after an injury. Patients may not even be aware of the cognitive side effects, but the new research shows that even mild injuries can have serious long-term effects.