Brain Injury Myths
7th May 2024
Written by JJ Wellock, Assistant Psychologist
“We only use 10% of our brains”, “Opposite personalities attract”, “Mental health is a sign of weakness”.
These are just a few statements that are widely shared and believed, yet are also myths. Research has found that false information was 70% more likely to be shared than true information (Vosoughi et al, 2018), whilst Ofcom reports that 1 in 20 internet users believe everything they see online (Ofcom, 2022). It is thought that we are more likely to circulate false information because it tends to be more novel and exciting than true information (Vosoughi et al, 2018).
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
Platforms such as TikTok, X, Youtube and Instagram are prime places for incorrect information to be shared, with some big influencers and even those with titles (i.e., doctors) being paid to promote such information. The consequences of which have the potential to lead to dangerous lifestyle choices, controversial arguments, and stigma.
Unsurprisingly, there are also some misinformed statements around brain injuries. Sadly, this can lead to a lack of awareness and poor education. Here are some examples:
Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (mTBI) are not that serious.
Although a mTBI (or concussion) may not sound too serious, the injury can have long term consequences. A mTBI is defined by a loss of consciousness (< 15 minutes) and post-traumatic amnesia (< 1 hour). However, other signs and symptoms can include dizziness, nausea and sickness, loss of coordination, confusion, visual problems and cognitive impairments.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge found that around 47% of those who had a mTBI did not fully recover by six months post injury (Woodrow et al, 2023), whilst other studies found long term reduced cognitive performance (Dean & Sterr, 2013). The disruption a mTBI can cause to a person’s life can be so significant for both the sufferer and their families, with as many as 17% of those with mTBIs not returning to work within 12 months of their injury (Gaudette et al, 2022).
Children recover from a brain injury easier than adults.
It is thought that because children are still developing, they can recover from a brain injury more effectively than an adult due to neuroplasticity. However, this is a misunderstanding. Because children are developing, the implications of an acquired brain injury may not appear in the first instance, or good motor abilities may mask any underlying neuropsychological deficits. Nevertheless, cognitive impairments and abnormal behaviours may show with time (Parker et al, 2021).
This may be apparent when a child starts to miss key developmental milestones, and may also struggle to interact with their peers; becoming particularly vulnerable to developing social difficulties (Greenham et al, 2010). Likewise, they may find themselves struggling more with education and thus require extra support. Within the family, there may be extra challenges to overcome cognitive effects such as disinhibition, impulsiveness, executive dysfunction, etc. This can cause strain within the support network, increasing the risk of anxiety or depression (Middleton, 2005).
Brain training games can improve cognitive performance
Dr Kawashima’s brain training, Lumosity, Elevate, etc. are all brain training applications that claim to improve cognitive performance. However, there is little evidence to suggest that these brain training games are of any benefit.
A study by Kable et al (2017), looked at whether brain training games were able to enhance cognitive control and effective decision making when it comes to risky behaviours (such as smoking). The study, which was conducted on 128 young adults with cognitive measures and functional magnetic resonance imaging, found no effect on decision making, brain activity or overall cognitive performance.
There are some studies which claim that brain training platforms can improve cognitive functioning. However, it is argued that rather than improving overall performance, the positive results of these studies are due to repetition and practice; in the same way people can be trained to perform better at certain tasks (Sala & Gobet, 2018).
Summary
There is a lot of information circulating by word of mouth or through the media, which claim to be true and accurate. It is important that we are aware and are able to identify false information before sharing it with others, as misinformation can be detrimental, especially when it has the potential to lead to stigma and discrimination.
Out of these statements, can you identify which ones are facts or myths? (Answers after reference list)
- The brain shrinks with age
- A poor diet can increase your risk of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
- The brain does not finish developing until the age of 25.
- The size of your brain is equal to your intelligence.
- Some people are ‘right brained’ and some people are ‘left brained’.
References:
Dean, P. J., & Sterr, A. (2013). Long-term effects of mild traumatic brain injury on cognitive performance. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 7, 30.
Gaudette, É., Seabury, S. A., Temkin, N., Barber, J., DiGiorgio, A. M., Markowitz, A. J., & TRACK-TBI Investigators. (2022). Employment and economic outcomes of participants with mild traumatic brain injury in the TRACK-TBI study. JAMA Network Open, 5(6), e2219444-e2219444.
Greenham, M., Spencer-Smith, M. M., Anderson, P. J., Coleman, L., & Anderson, V. A. (2010). Social functioning in children with brain insult. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 4, 1006.
Kable, J. W., Caulfield, M. K., Falcone, M., McConnell, M., Bernardo, L., Parthasarathi, T., … & Lerman, C. (2017). No effect of commercial cognitive training on brain activity, choice behavior, or cognitive performance. Journal of Neuroscience, 37(31), 7390-7402.
Middleton, J. A. (2005). Acquired brain injury. Psychiatry, 4(7), 61-64.
Nouchi, R., Taki, Y., Takeuchi, H., Hashizume, H., Nozawa, T., Kambara, T., & Kawashima, R. (2013). Brain training game boosts executive functions, working memory and processing speed in the young adults: a randomized controlled trial. PloS one, 8(2), e55518.
Ofcom. (2022, March 30). The Genuine article? One in Three Internet Users Fail to Question Misinformation. Ofcom. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/news-centre/2022/one-in-three-internet-users-fail-to-question-misinformation
Sala, G., & Gobet, F. (2019). Cognitive training does not enhance general cognition. Trends in cognitive sciences, 23(1), 9-20.
Parker, K. N., Donovan, M. H., Smith, K., & Noble-Haeusslein, L. J. (2021). Traumatic injury to the developing brain: emerging relationship to early life stress. Frontiers in neurology, 12, 708800.
Vosoughi, S., Roy, D., & Aral, S. (2018). The spread of true and false news online. science, 359(6380), 1146-1151.
Woodrow, R. E., Winzeck, S., Luppi, A. I., Kelleher-Unger, I. R., Spindler, L. R., Wilson, J. L., & Stamatakis, E. A. (2023). Acute thalamic connectivity precedes chronic post-concussive symptoms in mild traumatic brain injury. Brain, 146(8), 3484-3499.
Answers – MYTHS (1,4,5)