Researchers have found links between certain genes and a football player’s susceptibility to getting a concussion.
It’s a scientific detective story, of sorts. To figure out which genes might give us clues as to who is easily concussed, scientists first needed to understand what’s happening during a concussion. In normal conditions, the brain cells, or neurons, communicate with each other by electrical and chemical signals in the form of ions.
However, when a football player is tackled, these neurons can be stretched by the blunt force, and the flow of these ions becomes erratic. Scientists are investigating the genes that are linked to how these ions flow, hoping that their findings will help prevent concussions in football players young and old.
Read the full, original story: Are There Genetic Markers for Concussions?
