Category Archives: Brain Injury Treatment

In a new study of former athletes with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), researchers have found the disease tends to show up in one of two ways: early, with depression and behavioral changes, or later, with memory loss. Researchers talked to the relatives of 36 people who had the brain condition identified on an autopsy and found all but three had shown symptom patterns that followed one of those two trajectories. Experts not involved in the study called it a "marginal step" or "first stab" at determining the course of the disease, but said what is now needed are studies that track and test living athletes after a head injury. "The findings are certainly consistent with what other studies have been pointing to with this condition," Dr. Ramon Diaz-Arrastia, who studies traumatic brain injury at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Rockville, Maryland, said. But, he added, "We need to be able to have a way, during life, that we can make a diagnosis of this condition." CTE is a degenerative brain disease that has been found in deceased athletes who suffered repeat concussions and other blows to the head during their careers. The condition gained national attention … Continue reading →

Its like Match.com for soldiers returning home from war. But instead of pairing them with a mate, new technology called PEER Interactive is helping doctors match heroes suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) with the proper treatment. It's one of the biggest emerging public health issues we've got, George Carpenter, CEO of CNS Response, the California neuroscience company behind PEER Interactive told FoxNews.com. They're now estimating that about a million soldiers of the 2.5 million that were in Afghanistan or Iraq will develop depression, PTSD, or blast injury. Every year, there are 38,000 suicides in the United States alone. And 2012 saw more casualties among American troops as a result of suicide than in combat, with 349 soldiers taking their own lives. None of these kids in basic training were ever told thatthe person most likely to kill you, is yourself, Carpenter said. There's no test in this area, unlike every other part of medicine. There's blood tests, X-rays, bone scans, (but) for psychiatry, diseases of the brain, there really isn't any test that says which medication you'll respond to. Research shows that 60 percent of the time, medications prescribed to for conditions … Continue reading →

By Randy Dotinga HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, Aug. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Pilots of U.S. Air Force U-2 reconnaissance planes may be at risk of developing brain lesions, a new study suggests. America's involvement in two wars has increased the workload of U.S. airmen, and cases of decompression sickness -- a potential hazard of high-altitude flying -- have tripled over the past two decades, the researchers say. But this study suggests that U-2 pilots in general are more vulnerable to bruises in the brain, a sign that decompression damages the brain even in the absence of illness. The findings, published in the Aug. 20 issue of the journal Neurology, indicate that decompression sends tiny bubbles known as emboli into the brain where they don't necessarily make people ill but may still cause harm, said study lead author Dr. Stephen McGuire, a neurologist with the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine in San Antonio, Texas. "If the bruise is not too severe, the brain recovers," he said. However, "we don't really know what the long-term implications are." Decompression sickness, also known as "the bends," occurs when pressure around a person suddenly dips. High-altitude pilots, miners, mountain climbers and scuba divers can … Continue reading →

Newswise RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (Aug. 20, 2013) - As part of a federal initiative to better understand traumatic brain injuries suffered by the nations military service members and veterans, researchers at RTI International will join a consortium led by Virginia Commonwealth University to better understand the long-term effects of chronic mild brain injuries, or concussions. The $62.2 million initiative, funded by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, will examine combat-related mild traumatic brain injury and the issues surrounding changes in the brain as a result of those injuries, including molecular changes and the potential for neurodegeneration. As part of the collaboration, researchers at RTI will receive a portion of the initiative funding to manage the operations and data management functions for the teams at the various research sites throughout the country. RTI researchers will also conduct biostatistical design and data analysis for the consortium and coordinate the biostatistical activities conducted at the research sites. This award represents a major step forward in the research on and treatment of long-term effects of mild traumatic brain injuries, said Rick Williams, Ph.D., principal investigator at RTI and associate consortium director. Weve seen an increase in the number of concussions in veterans … Continue reading →

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The last retail 2014-MY Ford Shelby GT500 convertible auctioned byFord Motor Companyto benefit theBrain Injury Association of Americafetched $500,000 at the inaugural Hot August Nights Auction Presented by Barrett-Jackson in Reno, Nev. On Saturday, August 10, Don Damon of Great Bend, Kan., purchased the Shelby in a spirited bidding war, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the BIAA. Parnelli Jones, 1963 Indy 500 winner and advocate for the charity, cheered on the competition. It was thrilling to watch the bidding unfold, said Steve Ling, North America car marketing manager for Ford. The moment showed the power of a great charity and a great car, and the tremendous generosity of the Damon family and our friends at Barrett-Jackson. Jones was introduced to the BIAA when his son Page Jones, a rising star in racing, suffered a severe brain injury in a Sprint Car race. His prognosis was grim, yet with the support of his family, Page has gone on to have a fulfilling, productive and joyous life. With the upcoming documentary,Godspeed: The Story of Page Jones, both the family and BIAA hope to raise awareness of the importance of rehabilitation for those who suffer from a traumatic brain injury. … Continue reading →

This fairly simple metric for neural activity could guide treatment for people with brain injuries By Helen Shen and Nature magazine Electromagnetic pulses can be used to generate a diagnostic measure of consciousness. Image: BSIP SA/Alamy In most people, the line between consciousness and unconsciousness is as clear as day. But in many people with brain injuries who can neither talk nor move, the differences can be harder to spot. Neuroscientists have now devised a single metric of brain activity that could help to distinguish between different states of consciousness and guide medical treatment for people with brain injuries. The work is reported today in Science Translational Medicine. Nothing else we have can do that reliably, says Joseph Giacino, director of rehabilitation neuropsychology at Harvard Medical Schools Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. This is a very significant study. The metric relies on the idea that consciousness involves widespread communication between different areas of the brain, with each region performing specialized functions. Loss of consciousness during sleep or anaesthesia, or from brain injury, may be caused by the disengagement of brain regions from one another. Neurophysiologist Marcello Massimini of the University of Milan in Italy and his colleagues, who carried … Continue reading →

TAMPA Starting Oct. 1, honorably discharged veterans charged with certain misdemeanors in Hillsborough County will be able to have their cases heard in a specialized court that will take into account the unique needs of those who have served. The Misdemeanor Veterans Treatment Court will focus on honorably discharged veterans suffering from military service-related mental illness, traumatic brain injury, substance abuse or other disorders, according to the order creating the new court. They must be accused of misdemeanor, county and municipal ordinance violations like making false 911 calls, disorderly intoxication, possession of cannabis, or panhandling. And they must be eligible for evaluation and treatment services through the Veterans Administration. Veterans who meet those criteria will enter a court that offers treatment for their underlying issues if they volunteer to take part. Once transferred to Veterans Court, defendants will be required to attend court hearings and participate in ongoing assessment and treatment. If the court determines a veteran has successfully completed the program, the court will dismiss the charges. However, if the court finds that the veteran is not living up to its requirements, the case can be sent back to the original court. Being arrested again while in Veterans Court … Continue reading →

Electromagnetic pulses can be used to generate a diagnostic measure of consciousness. BSIP SA/Alamy In most people, the line between consciousness and unconsciousness is as clear as day. But in many people with brain injuries who can neither talk nor move, the differences can be harder to spot. Neuroscientists have now devised a single metric of brain activity that could help to distinguish between different states of consciousness and guide medical treatment for people with brain injuries. The work is reported today in Science Translational Medicine1. Nothing else we have can do that reliably, says Joseph Giacino, director of rehabilitation neuropsychology at Harvard Medical Schools Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. This is a very significant study. The metric relies on the idea that consciousness involves widespread communication between different areas of the brain, with each region performing specialized functions. Loss of consciousness during sleep or anaesthesia, or from brain injury, may be caused by the disengagement of brain regions from one another. Neurophysiologist Marcello Massimini of the University of Milan in Italy and his colleagues, who carried out the latest research, have found that electromagnetic stimulation of conscious peoples brains sets off a cascade of activity and generates unique … Continue reading →

In response to President Barack Obama's executive order, the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs highlighted the establishment of two joint research consortia at a combined investment of $107 million to research the diagnosis and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and mild traumatic brain injury over a five-year period, said an Aug. 10 DoD news release. "VA is proud to join with its partners in the federal government and the academic community to support the president's vision and invest in research that could lead to innovative, new treatments for TBI and PTSD," Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki said in the release. "We must do all we can to deliver the high-quality care our service members and veterans have earned and deserve." The Consortium to Alleviate PTSD, a collaborative effort between the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio, San Antonio Military Medical Center, and the Boston VA Medical Center will attempt to develop the most effective diagnostic, prognostic, novel treatment, and rehabilitative strategies to treat acute PTSD and prevent chronic PTSD. The Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium, a collaborative effort between Virginia Commonwealth University, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and the Richmond VA Medical Center … Continue reading →