Emerging Issues in Concussion (slideshow)

Concussion is defined as a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain from an impulsive force transmitted to the head or from a direct blow to the head, face, neck or elsewhere on the body that results in a new neurological sign or symptom. Increasing public awareness of the incidence of sports concussion, estimated at 4 million per year, and the possible long-term consequences on brain function are becoming a growing concern for participants in contact and collision sports.2 Additionally, an increasing number of military personnel are returning from recent conflicts with blast-induced concussion and traumatic brain injury (TBI).