Increased Risk Of Multiple Sclerosis After Brain Injury

Brain injuries are scary things. Without our brain we cannot function and with recent studies showing an association of brain injuries with multiple sclerosis the stakes and fear around them just got higher.

Recently a study found that adolescents that suffer concussions have a higher risk of multiple sclerosis development later on in life. This risk increases as the number of head injuries sustained increases.

The cause of multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis affects the central nervous system and “disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body.” This causes the body’s immune system to act in an abnormal manner affecting targeting the central nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. The immune system begins to attack the central nervous system such as myelin, the fatty substance that surrounds and insulates the nerve fibers, and the nerve fibers. This caused scarring, impacting the signals of nerves to the brain and spinal cord.

Why exactly multiple sclerosis is caused is uncertain but one thing that is clear is that some people are genetically susceptible to multiple sclerosis and environmental factors such as adolescent concussions can stimulate it.

The impact of concussions

The study which was conducted in Sweden and published in the Annals of Neurology, worked by dividing the sample group into two parts. Out of The sample of 80,000 people who suffered concussions between 1974 and 2012, 7,929 men and women later went on to develop multiple sclerosis.

Individuals who had experienced a concussion between the ages of 11 and 20 were approximately 22 percent more likely to later develop MS than those who had not had a brain injury. If there were multiple injuries sustained the risk of developing multiple sclerosis later on in life almost doubled.

When scientists examined the group of people who had suffered concussions under the age of ten they found that the risk of multiple sclerosis did not become greater or less due to suffering from a concussion. The study shows the importance of ensuring safety when doing things that can cause concussions like heavy impact sports.

Impact of brain injuries

Brain injury can impact a person’s life in many different ways. In many circumstances the impact of a brain injury will cause a person who sustained the brain injury to take substantial time off work or have to stop working completely, resulting in both loss of income and loss of earning capacity. Only an experienced brain injury attorney in Philadelphia,PA or elsewhere in Pennsylvania can help you recover a fair and adequate compensation for all the damages and losses you have suffered and will suffer for the rest of your life as a result of this catastrophic injury.

Contact a Pennsylvania brain injury lawyer:

Contact the Dan Doyle Law Group to speak about your particular case and pursue compensation. Let our lawyers formulate the most effective legal strategy for you. Call our offices 215-987-3730 or complete this contact form to get a free consultation.