Anatomy of a concussion

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BRAIN

A concussion is simply a brain injury that results in the temporary

loss of normal brain function. The damage occurs when the
brain hits the inside of the skull, then rebounds and hits the
opposite side of the skull. Some of the nerve cells can be crushed
and killed outright. Once they die, theyre lost forever.

NORMAL FUNCTION AFTER A HIT

The cerebrum is composed A blow to the head causes
of grey matter and white the brain to strike the
matter. Grey matter is the skull and rebound.
thin outer layer of billions The different densities
of nerve cell bodies of the grey and
called the cortex. white matter can
Underneath is the white cause twisting and
matter, made up of the shearing of the
bundles of axons, which bundles of wires.
are like electrical wires carrying
signals all around the brain.

DENDRITE

CELL BODY

NORMAL NEURON DAMAGED NEURON

AXON

AXON SHEARING OF
Each axon is protected by a THE AXON
As the cerebrum
TORONTO STAR GRAPHIC

myelin sheath. Myelin increases

the speed nerve impulses jiggles and twists from
can travel along an axon and impact, the axons can
is essential for the nervous be stretched, twisted
AXON
TERMINAL system to function properly. and sheared, damaging
the protective myelin
coating. This disrupts
communication between
the nerve cell networks.