Articles tagged with Brain Injuries
Researchers developed a simple and inexpensive device to measure reaction time, which showed slower reaction times after concussions. The test was found to be effective in determining readiness to return to play for Division I college athletes.
A new study introduces the CATCH rule to guide physicians in determining whether a child with minor head trauma should receive a CT scan. The 7-simple findings from history and physical exam have the potential to standardize CT scans and reduce unnecessary radiation exposure, while also minimizing healthcare costs.
A study analyzing 12 studies found helmets significantly protect against head injuries, reducing the risk by 35%. The use of helmets also prevented between 2-5 head injuries among users.
A recent study by Université Laval found that TBI victims may experience persistent motor deficits despite regaining normal walking speed. The research suggests that even in simple situations, the affected individuals show decreased speed and response times when faced with obstacles or sensory distractions.
A study published in Pediatrics found that children diagnosed with concussions spent fewer days in hospital and returned to school sooner than those with head injuries not labeled as concussions. Children with concussion diagnoses were also more likely to return to school sooner after discharge.
A new clinical trial at UC Davis aims to test a neuroprotective drug called allopregnanolone on patients with severe traumatic brain injuries. The goal is to reduce brain damage, post-traumatic epileptic seizures, and improve patients' quality of life.
Researchers suggest progesterone as a viable treatment option for traumatic brain injuries due to its ability to protect damaged cells and reduce swelling. The hormone has been shown to improve behavioral outcomes and protect neurons after injury.
The NFL grant will support research on new materials to repair injured knees, with a focus on meniscal repair. Professor Kyriacos Athanasiou's laboratory at UC Davis is also working on tissue engineering of knee cartilage.
Researchers found that feeding amino acids to brain-injured mice restored cognitive abilities and improved learning capacity. The study suggests that dietary intervention could restore a proper balance of neurochemicals in the injured part of the brain.
A new national study found that over half of US cheerleading injuries are caused by stunts, with nearly all concussions occurring during stunt performance. The majority of injuries also occurred during practice.
Five early stage companies at NJIT's Enterprise Development Center received significant funding to advance their technologies, including a drug to stop bleeding during brain injuries and a mattress to prevent bedsores. The grants will support training initiatives and strengthen the companies' paths to success.
A recent study found that head injuries can amplify the psychological impact of torture on survivors, with structural brain changes and more severe depression symptoms reported in those who experienced both. The research suggests that physical effects may help explain why standard therapies often don't work for torture survivors.
Research by Wake Forest University School of Medicine suggests that blocking the NMDA receptor in immature rats leads to profound brain injury and disruption of auditory function. This raises concerns about the potential impact of general anesthetics on children's cognitive development.
Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center found that a tailored approach to physical therapy can restore a wider variety of functions in rats with spinal cord injuries. After four weeks of training on a robotic device, trained animals had shorter stride lengths and improved walking performance compared to non-trained animals.
DynaDx has released the Multimodal Pressure-Flow technique, which incorporates NASA's Hilbert-Huang Transform technology to analyze cerebral autoregulation. This allows for fast and reliable results in diagnosing conditions such as traumatic brain injury and hypertension.
Researchers are optimizing progesterone for treating traumatic brain injuries by combining it with vitamin D and developing more water-soluble analogues. These compounds showed equivalent ability to reduce brain swelling in animal models, suggesting potential for improved treatment outcomes.
Research highlights the importance of including vestibular rehabilitation in treatment plans for blast-induced traumatic brain injury patients experiencing balance and motion symptoms. Physical therapists call for development of screening and assessment measures to inform treatment strategies and reduce disability.
A recent study published in Archives of Surgery found that individuals with ethanol in their bloodstreams are less likely to die following a moderate to severe head injury. The study analyzed data from 38,019 patients and found a significant decrease in mortality rates among those with alcohol in their bloodstreams.
Researchers found that wntP-1 gene expression occurs at all wound sites, triggering regeneration polarity in planaria. Blocking the gene results in heads regrowing instead of tails.
A national study of over 42,000 children with head trauma found that one in five over 2 and nearly one-quarter under 2 did not need CT scans due to low-risk brain injury. The study provides guidelines for doctors to safely reduce CT use in these patients, aiming to minimize radiation exposure risk.
Researchers at the University of Kentucky have identified a visible response to head trauma called the 'fencing response,' which can indicate damage to brainstem regions. This finding has immediate value for coaches and trainers, as it provides an objective cue to assess whether an athlete should return to play after a blow to the head.
A Clemson University bioengineer has developed an injectable biomaterial gel that promotes the growth of neural stem cells at the site of a traumatic brain injury, structurally repairing damaged brain tissue. The procedure shows promise for treating head injuries caused by car accidents, falls, and gunshot wounds.
Studies show that prototype helmets can improve blunt-impact protection for ground troops without compromising ballistic protection. A survey also reveals high incidence of driving-related anxieties among post-deployment soldiers, highlighting the need for better tools for diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury in the civili...
Researchers at LLNL used hydrodynamic simulations to show that nonlethal blasts can induce skull flexure and generate damaging loads in the brain. The study suggests that armor systems designed for impacts may not be optimal for blast wave protection, highlighting the need for improved helmet design.
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine found a strong link between concussions and brain tissue injury, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to detect subtle changes in the brain. The study suggests that DTI scanning could help diagnose concussions and predict lasting loss of executive function.
A recent study published in Research in Sports Medicine found that football injuries sustained during the beginning and middle of a game are more severe than those occurring at the end or in overtime. The majority of severe injuries, including concussions, occurred during kickoff and punting phases.
Researchers found that training the central control process, including the brain and reflexive responses, may be necessary to counter the fatigue-induced ACL injury risk. The findings suggest a shift from performance-based to prevention-based athletic training programs.
Researchers discovered a drug that blocks transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) receptors can prevent brain changes associated with epilepsy in rats. This treatment halts hyper-excitability and prevents gene expression changes, offering hope for preventing epilepsy in humans after severe brain injury.
A team of researchers from Ben-Gurion University and UC Berkeley have identified a TGF Beta Blocker that prevents epilepsy in rats after brain damage. The blocker blocks hyper-excitability and gene expression changes that lead to epilepsy.
The ProTECT III study aims to enroll 1,140 patients across 15 states to confirm preliminary findings on progesterone's effectiveness in reducing mortality and disability in acute traumatic-brain-injured patients. Researchers believe progesterone's neuroprotective properties could lead to life-saving benefits.
Researchers are developing effective treatment strategies and animal model systems to study the effects of explosive blast-induced traumatic brain injury. Current research aims to recreate battlefield injuries in laboratory settings to better understand head injuries sustained during combat.
Researchers at UCLA's Brain Injury Research Center are re-examining the standard treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI), suggesting that fueling the brain with glucose may not be the best approach. Instead, they propose using alternative compounds like pyruvate and beta-hydroxybutyrate to optimize recovery.
A new UCLA study reveals that traumatic brain injuries in children can lead to persistent cognitive problems, emphasizing the need for targeted treatment and prevention through helmet use and seatbelt safety. The research also found that younger children are disproportionately affected by severe TBI.
A longitudinal study of children with severe traumatic brain injuries found that they experienced lasting problems with day-to-day functioning, including behavioral issues and cognitive deficits. A meta-analysis of previous studies also showed that problems persisted over time, especially for those with more severe injuries.
A study by researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia found that nearly all children admitted with concussions had abnormal brain function during testing. The hospital recommends a formal assessment before resuming exertional activities to prevent prolonging symptoms and repeat concussions.
Researchers studied 243 wounded Marines to identify risk factors for heterotopic ossification, a condition where bone forms in soft tissues. The study found that age, traumatic brain injury, amputation, and multiple injuries are key contributors to the development of this abnormal bone growth.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that treating sleep disorders in adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) may not lead to improvements in daytime sleepiness. Despite significant reductions in sleep apnea severity, participants showed no changes in mood, quality of life, or cognitive performance.
Researchers at UQ have found a new treatment approach for dysarthria patients who have suffered a stroke or brain injury. The Lee Silverman Voice Treatment program has shown positive effects on voice clarity and communication confidence, improving quality of life for those affected by the disorder.
A blood test can predict the seriousness of a head injury and detect the status of the blood-brain barrier, offering a simpler and faster alternative to CT scans. The test, known as S-100B, has shown accuracy in predicting traumatic abnormalities and could lead to a 30% reduction in unnecessary CT scans.
Research highlights the benefits of cooling strategies to protect brain and spinal cord after trauma, with studies on animal models, operating room use, and treatment of cardiac arrest and stroke. Therapeutic hypothermia is emerging as a promising strategy for minimizing tissue damage.
Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have found that a class of Alzheimer's disease drugs may prevent long-term damage from traumatic brain injury (TBI) in animals. The study suggests that gamma secretase inhibitors, designed to prevent build-up of amyloid peptide, could potentially do so.
A recent study published by the American Academy of Neurology found that nearly 98% of soldiers who experienced a concussion or head injury while deployed in Iraq had headaches during their last deployment. The headaches often started within one week of the traumatic brain injury, with 60% experiencing migraine-like headaches.
A study of over 1.6 million young people in Denmark found that traumatic brain injury significantly increases the risk of epilepsy, with risks persisting for more than a decade after the injury. The risk is particularly high for those with severe brain injuries or family histories of epilepsy.
A four-year prospective cohort study will examine the cognitive and affective consequences of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans. The study aims to provide evidence-based understanding of TBI's impact on veterans' quality of life, health care use, and community participation.
Scientists found that exposure to blast overpressure from certain weapons, such as anti-tank guns and automatic rifles, causes mild brain injuries in pigs and rats. The study's results suggest that low frequencies are more effectively transmitted to the brain than high frequencies, leading to small haemorrhages and brain edema.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center are evaluating a new mechanical arm, Armeo, to help patients with strokes and traumatic brain injuries regain arm strength through virtual exercises. The device allows for increased repetitions of tasks, potentially leading to quicker recovery.
New data suggests that certain glucocorticoids, such as corticosterone, may be less harmful to fetal brain development than others like dexamethasone. This finding has significant implications for treating preterm infants and reducing the risk of cerebral palsy and cognitive impairment.
Researchers found that mild electrical current to a motor control area of the brain improved motor task performance significantly. The technique has potential for enhancing rehabilitation for individuals with brain injuries.
A meta-analysis of cognitive rehabilitation studies suggests that treatments tailored to age, injury, symptoms, and time since injury are more effective. Cognitive skills training in specific domains like attention and visuospatial processing shows promise, while holistic approaches have limited benefits.
The Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation devotes a special supplement to traumatic brain injury (TBI), featuring studies on patterns, predictors, and mechanisms for recovery. The supplement aims to encourage new directions for treatment research based on the root causes of behavioral and brain dysfunction.
A University of Missouri study suggests that spiritual experiences associated with selflessness are related to decreased activity in the right parietal lobe of the brain. Researchers found that individuals with traumatic brain injury reported higher levels of spiritual experiences, such as transcendence.
The five-year study aims to determine which rehabilitation therapies are most successful in improving outcomes for patients with different types and severities of traumatic brain injuries. The researchers will analyze data from over 2,300 patients to identify effective treatments.
Researchers found that training individuals to read body language, facial expressions, and voice tone in others resulted in significant gains in emotional perception. This skill is crucial for successful social communication and helps overcome chronic social difficulties or isolation. The training regime, known as self-instruction trai...
A multidisciplinary team from McGill University Health Centre developed effective predictive tools to assess patient progress after severe traumatic brain injury. The study found that cognitive and emotional faculties did not develop to the same extent as physical function, leading to persistent deficits.
A study of over 900 homeless individuals in Toronto found that 58% of men and 42% of women had a history of traumatic brain injury, leading to poorer physical and mental health status. The findings suggest that traumatic brain injury may be a causal factor contributing to homelessness through cognitive or behavioral sequelae.
A US neurosurgeon reports promising results treating soldiers with severe brain injuries in Iraq, where aggressive therapies led to unexpected survival rates. In contrast to predicted dire outcomes, some patients showed remarkable recovery, challenging the predictive value of standard neurological assessments.
Research funded by the Wellcome Trust suggests that inflammation in the brain resulting from infection or injury may accelerate the progress of dementia. Systemic inflammation can cause changes in memory and learning, leading to accelerated progression of dementia.
A study found that recovery from brain injury increases amyloid beta levels in patients, with better neurological status correlating to higher levels. The findings suggest a new understanding of the connection between brain injury and Alzheimer's disease.
The study found that placental insufficiency leads to smaller brain volume in preterm infants, and degree of prematurity is the single most significant risk factor for brain injury. The research also suggests a link between genetic regulation of an inflammatory transmitter and brain growth.
A consortium of researchers is undertaking a five-year initiative to improve diagnosis and treatment of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). The Department of Defense has awarded $35 million to support the project, which aims to develop innovative methods for diagnosing and treating MTBI. The research will focus on basic and clinical st...