Can concussions cause depression?

Most concussions result in full recovery. Kids are particularly vulnerable to the impact of concussions because they are still developing, and they can easily accumulate multiple injuries over the years, said O'Brien. In addition, the pressure to perform on the field, and in the classroom, can slow recovery, he added. read more

The new studies can’t prove definitively that concussion (which is a form of traumatic brain injury) causes lasting brain changes that leads to depression. After all, not every ex-player who had concussions seemed to show later symptoms of depression. read more

They tested two groups of post-concussion patients: 45 reporting psychological issues like irritability, depression, and anxiety, and 29 with no reported mental ailments. "Using other concussion patients as our controls was a big advantage of our study," said lead author Dr. Lea M. Alhilali, assistant professor of radiology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). read more