Women sport is worse... for concussion.

The Facts & So What?

The Facts:

I met with Dr Emer Mac Sweeney last week on Wimpole Street just a conkers throw away from one of her Re-Cognition health's private clinics.

One of the burning questions I had left over from her late Ted Talk was if she thought the problem was going to be worse in women's sport than men's sport.

The answer was yes for 3 reasons:

1. Worse Visio special ability: Typically women begin playing rugby later in their life, this has an impact on Visio special ability. With 70% of concussions in rugby come from the tackler, it may mean that ladies are getting their head in the wrong place more often than men players or colliding unintentionally with other body parts more in soccer.

2. Less Neck strength - Men have greater muscle mass surrounding the neck. The muscle mass helps to absorb the blows, acting as a shock absorber reducing the movement of the brain within the skull.

3. Menstruation Cycles: Women go through a menstruation cycle and this has an effect on brain fluid thus leaving the brain more or less vulnerable at different points in the cycle.

So What? What has CONKA done?

1. We have prioritised an even split of male and female participants within the CONKA x Durham University animal and human trials.
2. We are paying close attention to the pituitary gland in the brain (distributor of sex hormones) and use sex hormone biomarker analysis throughout the trial.
3. Forming a partnership with Re-Cognition health to offer CONKA members the full suite and lifecycle of care. Cognitive Control, Performance, Maintenance (CONKA) and Full Diagnosis & Repair (Re-Cognition).