Neuro Note #1

            I am a huge fan of TED Talks, so when I was browsing through the list of possible choices for the nuero note, I chose to watch a TED talk by neuropsychologist Kim Gorgens about concussions.  I am interested in learning more about concussions because I’m an avid sports fan and I got a concussion when I was around twelve years old during a soccer game. After that incident, I wore head gear, which was like a large padded head band that strapped around my head. Luckily my coaches made all the defenders on the team wear it, so I didn’t stand out.

In the TED Talk, Gorgens talks about children sustaining concussions. She discusses how adults recover quicker from head injuries and that kids take a little longer. It’s important to be cautious and vigilant since we don’t fully understand the long-term effects that multiple head injuries can have on a child. She gives three pieces of advice for parents: study up, speak up, and suit up. Furthermore, she wants people to understand the problems surrounding concussions, to speak up and ask coaches about protective equipment, and to suit up by wearing protective gear. These three things may help reduce that chances of concussion.

From this TED talk, I learned about the negative future problems associated with people who sustain more than three concussions, and how to prevent concussions. This video was a good reminder that you can never be too careful and to always wear protective gear when possible.

Gorgens, K. (2010, May). Protecting the brain against concussion. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/kim_gorgens_protecting_the_brain_against_concussion