A new Western University study involving female rugby players shows damage from concussions can persist for months after players have been cleared to return to the field.

The study followed 52 members of the varsity women's rugby team for five years, during which time the team collectively experienced 21 concussions. Researchers examined players' brains three days, three months and six months after experiencing a concussion, according to Kathryn Manning, who worked on the project as part of her PhD research.

The results showed changes to the brain even six months post-concussion, Manning said.

"[A] previous study showed changes at three months, and now we've shown that in these athletes they're even present six months later," said Manning, who is now a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Calgary.

Manning said the study revealed damage to a part of the brain called the corpus callosum, and changes to the brain's ability to communicate.

Communication challenges were present even in athletes who otherwise seemed healthy—something Manning said was troubling.

"These athletes don't have any persistent symptoms, so clearly the brain is able to compensate somehow and work around this damage," said Manning.

But questions remain about how long the brain is able to compensate and what the long-term implications of these concussions will be.

Protecting athletes

This study adds to a growing pile of evidence around the long-term consequences of concussions.

Although Manning stopped short of advising against contact sports, she said there are things athletes can do to reduce their collateral damage, such as minimizing the number of blows during practice games and stepping away from the field post-concussion—something players are often reluctant to do.

"A number of athletes enrolled in this study experienced multiple concussions, and in some of those cases they experienced them within three months of their last one," said Manning. "That was just a trend in our small data set, but it's a little telling I think."

Manning said the study also found that some players who weren't diagnosed with concussions still showed brain changes as a result of impact, and that a study on those athletes will be available next year.

For now, the researchers' current study is available online. Manning said that's so the research makes its way into the hands of those most affected.

"At the end of the day the people we want reading this are players, athletes and parents," she said.