Causes of Dysfunction


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In recent years, the long-term dangers of head injuries and multiple concussions have been spotlighted in popular media. When a person gets a concussion there is damage on a cellular level. If the cells do not have time to heal before there is another impact to the head, it will cause more damage and require a longer recovery time than the first concussion, even if the second impact was not as hard as the first impact. When injury happens again before there has been time for healing to happen, it is called progressive dysfunction.

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For more information about what is happening when you get a concussion, visit the Ask Smithosonian website.

The brain is not the only place that progressive dysfunction occurs. Progressive dysfunction can occur in any cellular or organ system throughout the body. When the body becomes trapped in a loop of progressive dysfunction it results in a chronic condition.
Another cause of cellular dysfunction is genetic mutations. When a gene’s instructions are altered through mutations it can cause the protein to malfunction or be missing. When the mutation alters a protein that plays a role that is critical for the body, a chronic condition is the result.

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For more information about genetic mutations watch the Amoeba Sisters video about Mutations or Dr. John Day - Genetic Mutations.