Pathophysiology of Sports-Related Concussion

Concussion pathophysiology is complicated and involves numerous mechanisms, including excessive neurotransmitter release, metabolic derangements, neuroinflammation, cerebral blood flow changes, and axonal disruption. The initial biomechanical impact in a concussion results in abnormal function at the cellular level, which initiates a cascade of events that leads to microstructural changes and, in the minority of cases, more persistent, permanent damage.