EDITORIAL

Concussion treatment

Should we treat concussion pharmacologically?

P McCrory

Centre for Sports Medicine Research & Education and Brain Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia 3004

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr P McCrory, PO Box 93, Shoreham, Vic 3916, Australia;
pmccrory@compuserve.com

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The need for evidence based pharmacological treatment for the concussed athlete

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Keywords: concussion injury; concussion treatment; pharmacology

Abbreviations: CNS, central nervous system; TRH, thyrotrophin releasing hormone

The medical management of concussion in sport has traditionally involved close observation and "masterly inactivity". With the use of clinical assessment and neuropsychological testing we have the ability to individualise patient management and determine safe and appropriate return to play strategies. At the present time, the sports physician has no evidence based pharmacological treatment to offer the concussed athlete. The ability to treat concussion with specific drug therapy requires an understanding of the pathophysiological changes that accompany concussive injuries.

Concussive brain injury has long been thought to evoke immediate and irreversible damage to the brain. While this may be true in moderate to severe traumatic brain injury, the evidence that this occurs in milder injuries such as concussion is not compelling. Recent experimental evidence suggests that the pathogenesis of axonal dysfunction resulting from head trauma is complex.¹

In addition, studies of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury have . . . [Full text of this article]

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• McCrory, P, Meeuwisse, W, Johnston, K, Dvorak, J, Aubry, M, Molloy, M, Cantu, R (2009). Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport: the 3rd International Conference on Concussion in Sport held in Zurich, November 2008. Br. J. Sports. Med. 43: i76-i84 [Full Text]  
• McCrory, P, Johnston, K, Meeuwisse, W, Aubry, M, Cantu, R, Dvorak, J, Graf-Baumann, T, Kelly, J, Lovell, M, Schamasch, P (2005). Summary and agreement statement of the 2nd International Conference on Concussion in Sport, Prague 2004. Br. J. Sports. Med. 39: i78-i86 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• McCrory, P, Johnston, K, Meeuwisse, W, Aubry, M, Cantu, R, Dvorak, J, Graf-Baumann, T, Kelly, J, Lovell, M, Schamasch, P (2005). Summary and agreement statement of the 2nd International Conference on Concussion in Sport, Prague 2004. Br. J. Sports. Med. 39: 196-204 [Abstract] [Full Text]