West Virginia residents who have sustained brain injuries in the past should be aware that research has linked concussions and other types of traumatic brain injuries to the increased likelihood of the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease. This is according to a study that used Alzheimer’s disease cases, which were confirmed by autopsies, to assess the lasting impact of head injuries.

The results of the research confirm the relationship between the disease and previous brain injuries, which could only be theorized in previous studies that did not possess conclusive diagnostic procedures. The research included an analysis of over 2,100 cases in which people who had a traumatic brain injury that caused unconsciousness for more than five minutes received a diagnosis of dementia an average to two and a half years earlier than dementia sufferers who had not sustained a traumatic brain injury.

The findings have been released as there has been heightened public discourse regarding the safety of contact sports, like football. However, the authors of the study caution that they are still unaware of which particular processes linked traumatic brain injuries to Alzheimer’s disease and cannot definitively determine who has a higher chance of developing dementia as they age in individual cases.

According to a neuropsychologist who led the study, it is important to know that one of the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease is brain injury. However, parents should refrain from not allowing their children to participate in sports at all due to the concern that a concussion will result in dementia.

A personal injury attorney may assist clients who sustained a traumatic brain injury due to the negligence of another party. Lawsuits may be filed for the side effects an injured client incurred as a result of the brain injury, such as amnesia, permanent disability, delayed brain damage or other lasting injuries.