Rotational or other mechanical force {concussion}| on brainstem disturbs vision, equilibrium, and consciousness.
incidence
In USA, 1.5 million people, mostly young, have concussions each year.
levels
Grade 1 concussion retains consciousness, symptoms last less than 15 minutes, and cognitive problems disappear within 24 hours. Grade 2 concussion has brief consciousness loss, and symptoms last longer than 15 minutes. Grade 3 concussion has consciousness loss and amnesia, and symptoms last long. Longer consciousness loss and longer amnesia {posttraumatic amnesia} (PTA) correlate with neurocognitive impairment severity.
brain
Concussion decreases blood flow, increases blood sugar, and changes cell-ion flows in inferior parietal, prefrontal, and cingulate cortex. Increased glutamate causes increased excitation. Changes can begin two to three days after injury and last more than one week. Brain is vulnerable to second injury.
symptoms
Common symptoms include uneven and dilated pupils, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, slurred speech, anxiety, and poor coordination and balance. Other symptoms are tiredness, poor concentration, irritability, noise, dizziness, clumsiness, eye problems, and headaches.
Early signs are vacant stare, fogginess, confusion, slowing, memory disturbance, consciousness loss (LOC), headache, dizziness, balance difficulties, and vomiting. Later somatic signs are headaches, fatigue, sleep disturbance, vision changes, ear ringing, and light/noise sensitivity. Affective signs are lowered frustration tolerance, irritability, more emotionality, depression, and anxiety. Cognitive signs are slow thinking, slow response, poor concentration, distractibility, learning difficulty, memory difficulty, and disorganization.
Biological Sciences>Medicine>Disease>Kinds>Organ>Nerve>Trauma
4-Medicine-Disease-Kinds-Organ-Nerve-Trauma
Outline of Knowledge Database Home Page
Description of Outline of Knowledge Database
Date Modified: 2022.0224