While the neurological effects of concussions are well known, the consequences on hormones are not often discussed. This is why the head of the Hospices Civils de Lyon department spoke about it during the “Endocrinolympiads”.
- “Between 100 to 300 cases of concussions are recorded per month depending on the country.”
- These injuries, caused by a shock, blow or jolt to the head or a blow to the body can cause an “inability of the pituitary gland to produce hormones in sufficient quantities.”
- In athletes, these pituitary deficits result in fatigue, reduced libido, reduced physical performance and unexplained fat gain.
“Between 100 to 300 cases of concussion are recorded per month depending on the country. In France, the incidence in terms of hospitalization is estimated at 281/100,000”declared Professor Gérald Raverot, head of department of the Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCL), during the “Endocrinolympiads” organized by the French Society of Endocrinology on April 5. As a reminder, a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a shock, blow or jolt to the head or by a blow to the body that causes rapid back-and-forth movement between the head and the brain.
“Female athletes are 1.9 times more likely to suffer a concussion”
“Among children, young adults and the elderly, the primary cause is road accidents, particularly falls. Then we find sport (American football, rugby, basketball, ice hockey, (boxing, wrestling, volleyball) Most, if not all, injury protocols in sports are based on data for men, while female athletes are 1.9 times more likely to suffer an injury. sports-related concussion compared to men in comparable disciplines. In women, injuries are linked to impacts with the ball or the ground. On the other hand, in male athletes, they are associated with impacts to the head with a. other person Although concussions are more severe in women, progesterone appears to have a neuroprotective effect depending on head trauma. the doctor said.
According to the professor, the rapid back-and-forth movement between the head and brain can cause the organ to bounce or twist within the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging cells. cerebral. In detail, concussions can cause brief loss of consciousness, headaches, and dizziness. When these are severe, they can cause problems with speech, language, memory, vision and balance, even a coma. In the event of a skull fracture, hemorrhage can occur from the nose and ears.
Concussions: “after a shock, the neurons will be placed on the pituitary gland”
“There are also indirect consequences. We do not often talk about pituitary deficits, namely the inability of the pituitary gland to produce hormones in sufficient quantities, which are underdiagnosed in the absence of specific signs. Indeed, the The management of concussions is done by neurosurgeons, while there is also an impact on the endocrine system. After a shock, the neurons will be placed on the pituitary gland. pointed out Gérald Raverot.
Located at the base of the brain and connected to the hypothalamus, this small gland the size of a pea makes many different hormones, which circulate throughout the body and control certain functions. “In patients with this type of brain trauma, we observe an alteration of the hypothalamic vascularization, anterior pituitary necrosis, post-pituitary hemorrhage, worsening of lesions by intracranial hypertension (ICH), edema, vascular spasms, hypoxia (a decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the blood).”
According to the head of the Hospices Civils de Lyon department, among athletes, these pituitary deficits cause fatigue, a drop in libido and a drop in physical performance at the end of the season. Another sign: unexplained fat gain. “Concussions are not only recorded in high-level sport. Thus, we must inform and raise awareness among the amateur world. At the same time, we must also monitor athletes beyond competitions to detect pituitary deficits, in involving endocrinologists Finally, it is appropriate to adapt the protocols relating to injuries within the same sport.
