Because concussions are often referred to as mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs), the misconception is that they are not serious or dangerous. In fact, concussions can also have lifelong effects on a victim. Researchers from the University of California San Francisco have found that even one concussion increases a person’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease and dementia later in life. There is also a risk of post-concussion syndrome, “a complex disorder in which various symptoms – such as headaches and dizziness – last for weeks and sometimes months after the injury that caused the concussion,” per the Mayo Clinic. Post-concussion syndrome presents with the same symptoms of a concussion; they just last longer.