A player's brain function changed more as their number of hits increased.
The results confirm the growing theory that a concussion results from a series of blows, not simply one big impact.
Specialized helmets with sensors were worn by the athletes, who could count and assess the force of head strikes. The kids underwent a test of thinking and memory while the players were placed in an MRI scanner to measure their brain activity.
The brain scans and the hits were then compared. Those were common hits.
The quantity and distribution of hits were connected to the changes in brain function that were observed over time in the MRIs. Brain activity did vary, but mental performance did not.
The brain may be employing other areas to replace those impacted by the blows in order to get around those alterations.
Therefore, a player hit several times has more chances of concussion.
