1. Concussions What Should I Be Looking For?
David M. Schwartz, Ph.D., ABPdN
Clinical Neuropsychologist
The Concussion Institute at Gwinnett Medical Center - Duluth
Copyright © 2017 by David M. Schwartz, Ph.D., ABPdN. All rights reserved

2. Copyright © 2017 by David M. Schwartz, Ph. D. , ABPdN
Copyright © 2017 by David M. Schwartz, Ph.D., ABPdN. All rights reserved

3. Facts A concussion is a traumatic brain injury (TBI)
All concussions are serious
Concussions can occur without loss of consciousness or memory
Recognition and proper management of concussions when they first occur can prevent further injury or even death
Most athletes can safely return to play after recovery, but everyone recovers at their own rate
In general, the younger the athlete is, the longer the recovery
U.S. annual rate of sports/recreation-related concussions: 3.8 million
Copyright © 2017 by David M. Schwartz, Ph.D., ABPdN. All rights reserved

4. Concussion
Copyright © 2017 by David M. Schwartz, Ph.D., ABPdN. All rights reserved

5. Mechanism of Injury Blow to head or body, direct impact not necessary
Acceleration/Deceleration forces cause temporary deformation of axon (axonal stretching and tearing)
Neurometabolic changes result, without visible abnormalities (normal CT/MRI)
Physiologic changes at cellular level
Neurons are “dysfunctional”, not destroyed
(Giza 2001)
Copyright © 2017 by David M. Schwartz, Ph.D., ABPdN. All rights reserved

6. Signs and Symptoms Observed By Coaches and Teammates
Appears dazed or stunned
Is confused about their position or the play
Winces when heading the ball
Is unsure of game, score or opponent
Moves clumsily
Answers questions slowly
Loses consciousness, even briefly
Shows behavior or personality changes
Can’t recall events before or after hit or fall
Copyright © 2017 by David M. Schwartz, Ph.D., ABPdN. All rights reserved

7. Symptoms Reported By Athletes
Headache or pressure in head
Nausea or vomiting
Double or blurry vision
Sensitive to lights or noises
Dizziness, clumsiness, sleepiness
Feels sluggish, hazy, foggy, groggy
Attention or concentration problems
Confusion or memory loss
Just doesn’t feel right
Copyright © 2017 by David M. Schwartz, Ph.D., ABPdN. All rights reserved

8. Most Commonly Reported Symptoms High School & College Athletes
(n = 1,438; 1-7 days post)
SYMPTOM
PERCENT
# 1
Headache
75%
# 2
Difficulty Concentrating
57 %
# 3
Fatigue
52 %
# 4
Drowsiness
51 %
# 5
Dizziness
49 %
# 6
Foggy
47 %
# 7
Feeling Slowed Down
46 %
# 8
Light Sensitivity
45 %
# 9
Balance Problems
39 %
# 10
Difficulty with Memory
38 %
Copyright © 2017 by David M. Schwartz, Ph.D., ABPdN. All rights reserved

9. Individual Recovery From Sports MTBI: How Long Does it Take?
WEEK 1
WEEK 2
WEEK 3
WEEK 4
WEEK 5
80%
RECOVERED
60%
RECOVERED
N=134 High School Male Football Athletes
40%
RECOVERED
Collins et al., 2006, Neurosurgery

10. Concussion
Copyright © 2017 by David M. Schwartz, Ph.D., ABPdN. All rights reserved

11. Copyright © 2017 by David M. Schwartz, Ph. D. , ABPdN
Copyright © 2017 by David M. Schwartz, Ph.D., ABPdN. All rights reserved

12. For more information:
David M. Schwartz, Ph.D., ABPdN Clinical Neuropsychologist The Concussion Institute at Gwinnett Medical Center – Duluth 3855 Pleasant Hill Road Suite 150 Duluth, Georgia Phone: Website:
Copyright © 2017 by David M. Schwartz, Ph.D., ABPdN. All rights reserved