Today kicks off Brain Awareness Week, the global campaign to increase awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research. At Magee, we see the importance of learning more about the brain each and every day. From brain injuries to strokes to neurological disorders, Magee is an example of this research in practice.
All week long, we’re going to share information about the brain – from health and prevention, to injury and recovery. We invite you to share your stories and let us know what you would like to see next. To kick things off, we’ll start with some quick facts about brain health and injury.
- Each year, an estimated 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
- About 75% of TBIs that occur each year are concussions or other forms of mild TBI.
- Falls are the number one cause of TBI, followed by motor vehicle and traffic accidents.
- Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke. About 610,000 of these are first or new strokes.
- Anyone can have a stroke – but people who use tobacco, drink excessive amounts of alcohol and are physically inactive, are at a greater risk.
Keep checking in during the week to learn more about the inner workings of your beautiful brain. In the meantime, check out this awesome interactive brain from BrainLine.org – it shows you what areas of your brain impact what areas of your body and emotions, and what happens when those areas are injured.
(All statistics are sourced from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)
