Mechanism of cognitive symptoms related to a whiplash neck injury
 

Could someone explain to me how it's possible for a whiplash neck injury to cause cognitive problems such as severe memory and thinking impairment?
What are the biological mechanisms that make it possible?

The most likely problem is reduced vertebral artery blood flow to the brain stem and part of the brain from inflammation. The sleep problems associated with whiplash injuries can be a big cause of those symptoms, too. Sleep apnea can be a cause. Chronic sleep and blood flow problems can cause atrophy of the brain cells over time.

Then there is the direct physiological damage to axons (diffuse axonal injury) that reduces the function of the communication structure in the brain. Think of wires that have poor insulation or are corroded or a leaking hose.

Mark, what is your recommendation for those of us who suffer from dizziness and brain/eye fatigue due to a whiplash car accident without head trauma? Is there anything we can do to speed up recovery? Anything that we shouldn't be doing?

- Eric

Thanks a lot for the answers, altough I have some more now:

-How can the inflammation of the nerves restrict the blood flow to the brain?

-What do you mean with Chronic sleep?
Also, the atrophy of the brain cells is reversible or its an irrepairable damage? And can it be seen on and MRI or other imaging exams?

-Do you mean the axons in the brain or in the nerves of the neck? And in either case it is possible for the axons to repair themselves?

It is not nerves that get inflamed although they can. It is the soft joint tissue around the traumatized joint. The inflamed joint tissue acts like a blood pressure cuff and squeezes the blood vessels.

I was meaning Chronic sleep problems. Lack of quality sleep, sleep apnea, and such limit the brains ability to detoxify and properly oxygenate.

Diffuse axonal injuries are to the axons between neurons and dendrites. The injury can be diffuse (throughout) the brain. The injury is believed to be to the myelin sheath that insulates the axons.

B-12, folic acid and other supplements can provide the best environment for the myelin sheath to heal.

When nerves in the neck get inflamed, they can cause muscle spasms that can also reduce blood flow.

On average, how long does it take for chronic sleep to cause brain atrophy?
And this atrophy can be reversible?

Also, the diffuse axonal injuries can be caused only by the impact of the brain inside the skull, or can they also be caused at the neck area by the acceleration/deceleration of the whiplash movement by shredding the axons?

[QUOTE=When nerves in the neck get inflamed, they can cause muscle spasms that can also reduce blood flow.[/QUOTE]

- What's the primary trigger for the inflammation and how is this treated?
- Would taking a blood thinner increase blood flow to the brain?
- What supplements or meds can be used to prevent inflammation?

SPNS,

There are plenty of anti-inflammatory substances. Fish oil, ibuprofen, aspirin. They also thin the blood.

For me, the inflammation was triggered by poor sleep posture. Too much head lift and tilt. My neck would respond with inflammation. The decreased blood flow would interrupt my breathing triggers and I would stop breathing as much as 16 times per hour. 20% of the treatment what physical therapy and chiropractic. The rest was my discipline to sleep in a good position, usually on my back with minimal pillow lift.

Chronic sleep problems like untreated sleep apnea can take decades to slowly atrophy the brain. There is no current way of rebuilding the lost brain tissue. The brain starts to naturally deteriorate at 25 with it accelerating at 40 to 45. Brain cells are always dying. They are not replaced fast enough to keep up with normal cell death.

Axonal injuries are within the brain tissue and are from the sheering forces as the brain bounces around inside the skull.

By definition, diffuse axonal injuries are throughout the brain. Look up diffuse. If there is focused damage in the neck, that would not be diffuse. There is a thing called a brain stem concussion where the impact forces bounce the brain stem around. It is not mentioned very often.

Brain atrophy can be diagnosed with imaging test? if so with which test?

Can brain stem concussion heal and if so, how long does it take?

Why do these details matter so much ?

Brain atrophy is impossible to image in the early stages. It is usually noted by comparison images taken a decade or more apart.

A DTI MRI can show evidence of trauma. Diffusion Tensor Imaging looks at the water flow in the brain and can indicate where that flow is abnormal. This usually indicate a response to trauma/injury.

As I said, Brain stem concussions are not mentioned much. They would likely heal like any other concussion.

Every brain injury is different. Extent of damage and length and completeness of recovery is different with each individual.