Pennsylvanians who have been injured in an accident may be interested in new findings that suggest that women may be at a higher risk of incidence for concussions. The film ‘Concussion” has resulted in a rise in the discussion of the traumatic brain injury, but while most of the discourse focuses on brain damage among professional athletes, one group has been largely ignored. According to one neurosurgeon and director of the Stanford Concussion and Brain Performance Center, there has been a lack of research into the incidence of concussions among women.
While all of the studies have focused on male athletes wearing helmets, no studies have looked at the rate of concussions among female athletes who wear no protective headgear. Nonetheless, studies have found that women suffer more concussions from men and fare worse from the effects in the long run. Girls who play high school sports are twice as likely to suffer a concussion as male high school athletes are.
Other research has found that concussions result in decreased activation of memory circuits, and that women continue to show diminished activity after six weeks, while most men return to normal. Researchers believe that women are more vulnerable to the effects of a concussion due to the larger size of their brains and the smaller size of their necks, which creates a whiplash effect upon traumatic impact. Other evidence suggests that estrogen can lead to hyperexcitability in the brain, which makes neurons more sensitive to any damage that occurs.
Athletes and others who sustain a concussion due to a traumatic injury might be able to seek compensation. There are various medical expenses An attorney whose legal practice focuses on personal injury might be able to help an injured victim work toward receiving the compensation he or she deserves.