Concussions Might be Associated with Alzheimer's Disease

A new study has shown that even a mild concussion can lead to the accumulation of plaques related with Alzheimer's disease.

Mild injuries to the brain or concussion during sports can damage the brain that can take a while to recover. People who have had repeated concussions have severe brain damage. The current study shows that even a mild bang to the brain along with a temporary loss of consciousness might be enough for Alzheimer's- associated plaque to build-up in the brain.

"Interestingly, in people with a history of concussion, a difference in the amount of brain plaques was found only in those with memory and thinking problems, not in those who were cognitively normal," said study author Michelle Mielke, PhD, with Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn, according to a news release.

The study included 589 people from Olmsted County in Minnesota. Of these, 448 people showed no signs of memory problems while the rest had mild cognitive impairment. All the participants were asked if they had any concussions in the past. Of the 448 people, 17 percent reported a head injury when compared with 18 percent of the 141 people with cognitive impairments.

Brain scans of participants revealed that people with a history of concussions carried significantly higher levels of amyloid plaques; about 18 percent higher than people with no history of head injury. These plaques have been earlier been associated with Alzheimer's disease.

"Our results add merit to the idea that concussion and Alzheimer's disease brain pathology may be related," said Mielke. "However, the fact that we did not find a relationship in those without memory and thinking problems suggests that any association between head trauma and amyloid is complex."

Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking, according to National Institute on Aging. Latest data from the Alzheimer's Association shows that over 5 million people in the U.S. have AD, a number that is expected to explode to 13. 8 to 16 million people by 2050.

The study is published in the journal Neurology.