We know subconcussions can change the way the brain communicates. We also know the specific areas that appear most vulnerable to these exposures – emotion, memory, sleep, sensory systems for situational awareness. [1-3]
But the brain remains plastic, meaning roadways aren’t permanent. Even in stroke patients and those with multiple sclerosis, neuroplasticity remains possible. [4-5]
Subconcussions aren’t going away. The UFC isn’t going to turn into a shadow boxing sport, the NFL isn’t going to become a flag football league, and breachers aren’t going to stop blowing through doors.
Addressing the issue of repeated subconcussive exposures must include proactive and continuous training of the brain roadways that are vulnerable to these exposures.
In other words, we target our vulnerabilities.
This means proactive training of emotional control, memory, sleep, and the sensory systems for situational awareness.
My area of expertise is only in training the sensory systems for situational awareness so my focus will be there.
Because all four sensory systems for situational awareness can be chipped away at by subconcussions, training needs to target their capability.
Training speed and precision of target following, execution with a divided focus, pro and anti-saccades (looking toward and away from a stimulus), keeping a target in focus with head movement, linear and angular acceleration/deceleration, and movement on any terrain.
THIS is what repeated subconcussive exposures are chipping away at.
Not to mention the capability of being able to do all of that but in extreme and unpredictable conditions requiring a high level of brain processing speed.
Any discussion on high performance should include the sensory systems for situational awareness. Particularly for those of you exposed to repeated subconcussive exposures.
Because subconcussions are taking an insidious toll on that capability.
You perform in conditions were milliseconds matter. Don’t let subconcussions chip away at that, target that vulnerability.
References:
- Champagne, A. A., Coverdale, N. S., Ross, A., Murray, C., Vallee, I., & Cook, D. J. (2021). Characterizing changes in network connectivity following chronic head trauma in special forces military personnel: a combined resting-fMRI and DTI study. Brain injury, 35(7), 760-768.
- Johnson, B., Neuberger, T., Gay, M., Hallett, M., & Slobounov, S. (2014). Effects of subconcussive head trauma on the default mode network of the brain. Journal of neurotrauma, 31(23), 1907-1913.
- Robinson, M. E., Lindemer, E. R., Fonda, J. R., Milberg, W. P., McGlinchey, R. E., & Salat, D. H. (2015). Close‐range blast exposure is associated with altered functional connectivity in veterans independent of concussion symptoms at time of exposure. Human brain mapping, 36(3), 911-922.
- De Giglio, L., Tona, F., De Luca, F., Petsas, N., Prosperini, L., Bianchi, V., … & Pantano, P. (2016). Multiple sclerosis: changes in thalamic resting-state functional connectivity induced by a home-based cognitive rehabilitation program. Radiology, 280(1), 202-211.
- Andrew James, G., Lu, Z. L., VanMeter, J. W., Sathian, K., Hu, X. P., & Butler, A. J. (2009). Changes in resting state effective connectivity in the motor network following rehabilitation of upper extremity poststroke paresis. Topics in stroke rehabilitation, 16(4), 270-281.