45.6% of participants had concussion symptoms a year later — News-Medical

A Curtin University study involving 232 adults aged 18 to 65 found that 45.6% of participants still reported concussion symptoms 12 months after the injury. News-Medical reports on the findings, published in the journal PLOS One.

Study participants reported fatigue, difficulty concentrating, headaches, dizziness, memory problems, sensitivity to light and noise, balance disturbances, and irritability. At the same time, 97% of participants returned to work within a year after the injury.

Early symptoms as a risk factor

The study’s author, Dr Jacinta Thorne of the Curtin Medical Research Institute, noted that participants who reported severe symptoms in the first days after a concussion were almost three times more likely to have complaints a year later. Feeling slowed down, experiencing “brain fog,” or nervousness shortly after the injury proved to be important signals for closer monitoring and support during recovery.

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At the same time, the researchers found no evidence that loss of consciousness, post-traumatic amnesia, or undergoing a CT scan predicted persistent symptoms after 12 months. According to Thorne, how a person feels in the first days after an injury may be more important than traditional markers of injury severity.

Sleep, mental health, and circumstances of injury

Among other factors associated with symptoms a year later, the researchers named pre-existing sleep disorders, a history of mental health problems, and a concussion sustained outside sports. Participants with sleep disorders were 5.1 times more likely to have persistent symptoms, those with a history of mental health problems were 2.6 times more likely, and those whose injuries were not sports-related were 2.5 times more likely.

Study co-author Dr Gemma Kivis stressed that returning to work does not necessarily mean full recovery: many people continue working despite fatigue, difficulties with concentration, and other manifestations. The researchers believe that early identification of risk factors may help medical professionals arrange more targeted follow-up for patients.