A study from the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center finds that mild head trauma has dramatic effects on brain metabolism, even though the injured person may appear normal and alert. In the study, researchers did positron emission tomography (PET) scans on 42 patients with concussion. They found no difference in the PET scan results for patients who were conscious after a head injury and those in a coma. The patients studied were found to be normal six months after their injuries, but the researchers say more study is needed to determine how long the effects of these injuries stay with them. The researchers warn that people who sustain head injuries should refrain from trying to immediately resume regular activities, not only because their brains are not functioning normally but because they may be at risk for more severe damage if they suffer repeated blows.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Neurotrauma, wk May 22, 2000
