ABSTRACT
Concussive brain injury is also referred to as mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). It can express as a mild, moderate, or severe form. Concussive injury occurs when the brain is violently rocked back and forth within the skull following a blow to the head or neck such as that observed in contact sports like football and soccer. Concussive injury also can occur during the rapid displacement and rotation of the cranium after peak head acceleration and momentum transfer in helmet impacts.1 Concussive damage occurs in troops when exposed to blast pressure waves, such as following detonation of an explosive device (IED). This injury is characterized by the immediate and transient changes in brain function which include temporary loss of memory, confusion, poor balance, and reexes and hearing loss. Although concussive injury has occurred in players of contact sports and in troops returning from previous wars, only recently it has drawn scientic, public, and administrative interest. This is due to the recognition of serious mental disorders including cognitive dysfunction and abnormal behavior (fear, anxiety, anger, and suicidal tendency) that are being observed at increased rates in professional football players and veterans of foreign wars.
