Anatomy of a Concussion

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
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There has been lots of news lately about concussion and its lingering effects on brain health. In fact, the recent publication of results from a study of NFL players (summarized here) has brought heightened awareness to the long-term risks associated with brain injury.

The LA Times recently published this excellent descriptive overview of what happens to the brain when it is concussed including an explanation of particular symptoms and why they may or may not linger. An important take-away is that the brain does have some ability to heal after an injury. For this reason, it is especially important to create an optimal healing environment following a concussion. This obviously includes protection against further head trauma but also includes ensuring a plentiful supply of oxygen rich blood and proper nutrition during the healing process.

These lesser known facts should be shared broadly to improve general understanding of how best to keep the brain healthy over the course of a long life.

Memory Loss and Normal Aging

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
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Today at IrishTimes.com there is an excellent summary of the many influences on memory as we age. We have also commented here in the past about perceived types of memory decline that are very consistent with a normal and healthy advance in age.

In this time when there is so much angst over Alzheimer's disease, it is important to be informed and to keep a proper perspective about suspected decline in one's ability to store and retrieve information. Some types of memory disturbances indicate a potential problem and should be evaluated by a physician in a timely manner. Others are not really memory problems but are more the result of poor hearing, slow processing, or intermittent attention.

As always, we encourage you all to educate yourself about these matters and to see a physician immediately if you suspect an emerging problem with your memory.

Defining Dementia

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
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In addition to distilling the daily news about brain health, this blog strives to promote a better understanding of terms and concepts relative to this topic. One term that is in the news every day but is commonly misused is "dementia". To help the readership gain a clear understanding, we have defined it here in a prior post.

The key point I always stress is that dementia is not a disease but a symptom of some underlying problem. Many diseases and medical conditions (Alzheimer's, stroke, trauma, thyroid deficiency, etc.) can lead to cognitive impairment (a symptom) which, if severe enough, will be classified as dementia.

Today there is a good piece in the South Bend Tribune that offers additional clarity and I encourage you all to click through and read it.