Concussion diagnosis

A Montgomery neurologist developed a groundbreaking technology to diagnose concussions immediately after they happen.

Dr. Rosa Bell, a Board Certified Neurologist and Clinical Neurophysiologist, developed a process that is being used on the sidelines of collegiate football games. On Saturday night, Bell was at the Alabama State University football game testing the players for head trauma.

“We’re testing real time brain waves actually on the field and assessing concussions objectively,” said Bell.

At the beginning of ASU’s football season, Bell tested each football player and established their individual baselines of brainwave activity. Throughout the season, she has monitored each player and performed weekly brainwave assessments on them to look for subtle changes in their baselines.

“What we’ve learned about concussions is that when the brain is stunned, we see changes for up to 30 minutes, but after that time the brain normalizes and that’s why it’s important to look at it before that time frame," Bell said.

During games, if a player has a suspected concussion, Bell’s process and equipment can assess that player’s brainwaves in just minutes and tell if he has a concussion. Bell even tests the players after the game.

“What we’re doing right now is we’re preparing for the players to come in after the game. Today, we have a cohort of 22 players where we will be testing their brainwaves. We’ve been doing these serially since the onset of the season," said Bell.

According to Bell, her system is able to identify brain damage in athletes before it’s too late.

“Stopping the concussion and assessing the concussion and getting treatment after it is so important," she said.

Her system is currently provisionally patented both domestically and internationally.

https://www.wtvm.com/2018/11/11/montgomery-neurologist-develops-groundbreaking-concussion-technology/