Watch: Morning News host Camille Ross speaks to Dr. Rajeet Singh Saluja of the Montreal Neurological Institute
MONTREAL-If your child is hit on the field, doctors will ask a few questions and determine if they have a concussion. That has been the standard procedure.
Researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital -The Neuro, at McGill University and the MUHC say there is a better way to diagnose concussions.
“Up to this point, testing was subjective. Do you have headaches, trouble with attention? Those were the symptoms we were looking for,” Dr. Rajeet Singh Saluja told Global News on an interview with Morning News anchor Camille Ross.
“The test is looking for an objective way to diagnose concussions.”
Kids will be put on a functional MRI scanner to find out which areas of the brain are taking more oxygen.
“By doing that we find out which areas of the brain are lighting up. The areas that are concussed won’t light up as bright,” says Dr. Singh.
The researches also aim to use this as an evaluation tool to determine when kids are able to go back into sports.
“When they’re back too early, they’re five times at higher risk of getting another concussion,” added Dr. Singh.
Effects of multiple concussions
The effects of multiple concussions can be varied.
The biggest danger is that they are cumulative in the brain, which means it can cause more damage.
Some examples include severe depression, chronic traumatic encephalopathy and some studies have even shown a link to certain types of dementia.
Test is still in the development phase but should be available fairly soon.
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