Inflammation can reawaken dormant viruses in the brain, which may help to explain why concussions often precede dementia, a new study finds.
Brain injuries like concussions raise the risk of dementia, and the more blows someone takes to the head, the higher that risk becomes, evidence suggests. Scientists are investigating what happens in the brain after injury that might lead to changes tied to dementia — for instance, a buildup of abnormal proteins and the malfunction and death of brain cells. Such changes are seen in Alzheimer's disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disorder that's recently gained recognition in high-impact sports.
