What is a Concussion?
More than “getting your bell rung,” concussions are a serious medical condition.
Concussion (mTBI) can be caused by a direct or indirect blow to the head from playing sports, vehicular accidents, falls, explosions or physical assault, to cite just a few causes. Symptoms may include chronic headaches, depression, cognitive issues, memory loss, and vision and balance impairment.
We’ve heard a lot about concussions in recent years from professional athletes injured on the field. But a great number of everyday people - from children in playgrounds to youth on soccer fields to grandmothers at home – suffer from concussions as well.
Symptoms
Concussion symptoms include chronic headaches, depression, problems with thinking and memory, vision and balance issues, and sleep disorders.
Symptoms can persist for days to months or even years.
In general, recovery may be slower among older adults, young children and teens.
Those who have had a concussion are at greater risk of having another one.
Some people find that it takes longer to recover if they have a subsequent concussion.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost three million patients with suspected brain injury visit the emergency room every year in the U.S. Other studies report higher numbers with one estimate of five million patients visiting emergency departments (ED) every year to be evaluated for a head injury. Approximately one-half are diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and as many as 95% of those with suspected TBI have mTBI.[1]
Our aspiration at Oxeia is to bring relief to concussion (mild traumatic brain injury or mTBI) sufferers. An understudied, often misunderstood condition, concussions can make life unbearable for people of all ages, from all walks of life. Our team of doctors, scientists, biotech leaders, athletes and other advocates want to change how concussions are perceived and treated. Our passion is bringing to market a game-changing therapeutic to treat concussion victims.
When these traumatic events happen the human brain literally bounces around inside the skull. Sometimes nerve cells can be twisted or even sheared. Inter-cranial bleeding may occur and inflammation can cause brain swelling and further damage. Research suggests there is a link between repeated TBI and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Concussions are an epidemic.
By some estimates a concussion is sustained every 20 seconds in the U.S.
Discussions about concussion protocols are widespread in professional football, soccer and hockey. Some states are considering banning these sports for young children.
Senior citizens are especially at risk for concussions. Nearly 4 in 5 TBI-related ED visits in adults aged 65+ were caused by falls.[2]
In 2014, there were approximately 812,000 children aged 17 or younger treated in U.S. EDS for concussion or TBI.[3]
Concussions are a major health issue for service members both in training and in combat.
Another alarming factor is that research over the last two decades now links concussions with neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other long-lasting neurologic effects.
References…
[1] Korley FK, Kelen GD, Jones CM, et al. Emergency department evaluation of traumatic brain injury in the United States, 2009–2010. J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2016;31(6):379–87. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
[2] https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/get_the_facts.html
[3] https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/get_the_facts.html
“Significant resources have been dedicated to R&D in many areas of medicine with life changing advances. Yet despite the debilitating human and economic impact of concussions on people of all ages and from all walks of life, treatment has remained largely unchanged over the decades. Oxeia’s results from its Phase 2a clinical trial for a treatment for concussion to address both the symptoms and underlying damage is an important milestone in finding effective treatment options.”
Amit Munshi
President and CEO, Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and
Co-Founder, Oxeia Biopharmaceuticals