Rutgers University researchers have discovered that lithium, a mood stabilizer used for decades to treat bipolar disorder and serious depression, may also help preserve brain function in patients who suffer traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI is caused by a blow to the head or other force that causes the brain to impact the skull. TBI disrupts normal brain function. It can result in memory loss, cognitive impairment, vision and hearing loss, depression, and personality changes. TBI is a major cause of death and disability, impacting more than 12,000 people a year in New Jersey alone. Medications prescribed to treat TBI generally focus on symptoms and pain relief, rather than preventing further damage. Rutgers researchers discovered that lithium, as well as rapamycin (an immunosuppressant used to treat cancer), protects healthy brain cells from a toxic buildup of chemicals that often results from a concussion. Under normal situations, the chemical glutamate is an important chemical for learning and memory. But a TBI can trigger a massive release of glutamate and the buildup becomes toxic, causing damage or death to the healthy cells. In the Rutgers research, scientists discovered that when these two FDA-approved medications were added to damaged cell cultures in the … Continue reading →

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - The University of Virginia is joining a national effort to understand and treat traumatic brain injuries. UVA professors in radiology are working to map the brain in extreme detail. They want to understand every cell and highway in the human mind to treat traumatic brain injury, otherwise known as TBI. The doctors and professors working on this project say TBI affects more than a million Americans. Professors will perform image scans on three thousand healthy adults in order to create their own "brain library." Doctors can use this tool as a point of reference when diagnosing their patients. They will have help from medical centers across the country like Baylor College of Medicine and San Antonio Medical Center. "By allowing for these advanced imaging sequences to move into clinical care that we'll be able to say things about what we expect the prognosis to be when they come into an emergency department, said James Stone, a UVA health radiology professor. Stone also explained that the image library will be useful for research of other neurologicaldisorders including multiple sclerosis and ALS. UVA health hopes to be using them to look into TBI treatment by the end of … Continue reading →

People with traumatic brain injuries, say after a car accident or an assault, can have behavioural problems long after their physical injuries have healed. Adam was fortunate to survive a major car accident three years ago. He was in hospital for several months but had no ongoing physical injuries. He looked like he made a full recovery. But he was argumentative, childish, vulgar and his family said he was not the same person. Adam had a severe traumatic brain injury. A traumatic brain injury is when the brain is damaged by an external mechanical force, like the type you may have in a car accident, if you fall, play sport or if you are assaulted. These injuries are usually in the news when sports players have a concussion; or in relation to drug and alcohol fuelled assaults where a blow to the head results in a damaging, sometimes fatal, fall to the ground (the cowards punch or king hit). Mostly, its young adults, particularly men, who are affected. But many elderly people may get a traumatic brain injury when they fall. Australia has a growing population of survivors of traumatic brain injury. This is due to the young age of … Continue reading →

Citing increased competition,decreased occupancy and financial issues, the Crotched Mountain Foundations Board of Trustees voted Monday to close the Crotched Mountain Specialty Hospital. David Johnson, director of marketing at Crotched Mountain, saidthe hospital, which focuses on neuro-rehabilitation for people with brain injuries among other conditions, is projected to cease operations by Aug. 31. Johnson said if the board hadnt made the decision to close the specialty hospitals doors, it would have lost $4.8 million this year. On a whole, the foundation has had to absorb a $20 million loss because of thespecialty hospital. And you just cant absorb that, Johnson said. Its just an unsustainable operation. The hospital currently serves 30 patients, who will all have to be moved elsewhere in order to receive the treatment they need. Our priority is to discharge outpatients safely and smoothly, Johnson said soon after the decision was made. And well work with families, and guardians to make sure its as smooth as possible. The closure will also leave about 130 staff members in flux, according to Johnson. The foundation employs about 1,100 people, meaning the closure will affect about 12 percent of its workforce. This decision was not made lightly, Michael Coughlin, president … Continue reading →