Individuals who experience headaches following concussions may have higher levels of iron in certain areas of the brain, indicating brain cell injury, according to a preliminary study released on March 5, 2024. The study will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 76th Annual Meeting, scheduled for April 13-18, 2024, both in-person in Denver and online.
“These findings suggest that the buildup of iron in the brain could serve as a marker for concussion and post-traumatic headaches, offering insight into the underlying processes associated with these conditions,” explained Dr. Simona Nikolova, a study author from the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.
The study included 60 individuals with post-traumatic headaches resulting from mild traumatic brain injuries, such as concussions. The injuries were attributed to falls in 45% of cases, motor vehicle accidents in 30%, and fights in 12%. Other causes included head impacts with objects and sports-related injuries. Of the participants, 46% had experienced one mild traumatic brain injury, 17% had two, 16% had three, 5% had four, and 16% had five or more.
The individuals with mild traumatic brain injuries were compared with a control group of 60 individuals who had not experienced concussions or post-traumatic headaches.
All participants underwent brain scans to assess iron levels in different brain regions, serving as an indirect measure of iron accumulation. For those with mild traumatic brain injuries, the scans were conducted approximately 25 days after the injury.
The study revealed that individuals with a history of concussions and headaches exhibited higher levels of iron accumulation in various brain regions, including the left occipital area, right cerebellum, and right temporal lobe, compared to those without concussion. For instance, individuals with concussions and headaches had greater iron accumulation in the left occipital area than those without such issues.
Researchers also observed a correlation between the number of concussions individuals had experienced and the frequency of their headaches with higher levels of iron accumulation in specific brain regions. Additionally, the longer it had been since the concussion occurred, the more likely individuals were to have increased iron accumulation in certain brain areas.
“Previous research has indicated that iron accumulation can impact brain connectivity,” noted Nikolova. “This study may enhance our understanding of how the brain responds to and recovers from concussions.”
Nikolova mentioned that since the study utilized an indirect measure of iron burden, it is possible that changes in this measure could be attributed to factors like hemorrhage or alterations in tissue water content, rather than solely iron accumulation.
The study received support from the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health.
