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Concussions, which are caused by severe head trauma, could negatively affect one's cognitive health. Studies found that people who suffer from repeated concussions, such as professional football players, might have a greater risk of mental illnesses. In a new study, researchers reported that teenagers who have a history of concussions have a tripled risk of developing depression in comparison to adolescents without a history of concussions.

"What this study suggests is that teens that have a concussion should be screened for depression," explained the study's lead author, Sara Chrisman, M.D, who is a pediatrician at Seattle Children's Hospital reported by Medical Xpress.

For this study, Chrisman and researchers examined the data from the 2007 to 2008 National Survey of Children's Health. This survey had data on over 36,000 children between the ages of 12 and 17. The researchers calculated that 3.4 percent of the children were diagnosed with depression and 2.7 percent of the children had suffered a concussion. The researchers found that the teenagers who had the highest risk of depression were over the age of 15 and lived in poverty or with a parent who was dealing with mental health problems. When the researchers took out these variables, they found that the link between depression and concussion still existed.

The researchers reported that their findings did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. Chrisman stated that the link between the two could be due to many other factors. For example, doctors could have mistaken repeated concussion symptoms as depression. Regardless of the potential causes, the researchers stressed that teenagers who have a history of concussions could benefit from depression screenings.

The study was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.