March 1, 2017 by Suzanne Leigh Credit: CC0 Public Domain Scientists have used a unique computational technique that sifts through big data to identify a subset of concussion patients with normal brain scans, who may deteriorate months after diagnosis and develop confusion, personality changes and differences in vision and hearing, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder. This finding, which is corroborated by the identification of molecular biomarkers, is paving the way to a precision medicine approach to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with traumatic brain injury. Investigators headed by scientists at UC San Francisco and its partner institution Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (ZSFG) analyzed an unprecedented array of data, using a machine learning tool called topological data analysis (TDA), which "visualizes" diverse datasets across multiple scales, a technique that has never before been used to study traumatic brain injury. TDA, which employs mathematics derived from topology, draws on the philosophy that all data has an underlying shape. It creates a summary or compressed representation of all the data points using algorithms that map patient data into a multidimensional space. The new research relied on a TDA platform developed by Ayasdi, an advanced analytics company based … Continue reading →

NEWTOWN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As the nation kicks off March as Brain Injury Awareness Month, leading advocates acknowledge accomplishments and advances in the field but recognize further advances are needed to help the more than five million people living with brain injuries in the U.S. today. Patient advocate and television personality Montel Williams and the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) have once again joined forces to call for greater strides in awareness, understanding, access to quality care, treatment opportunities and research for concussion and traumatic brain injury (TBI). In advance of Brain Injury Awareness Month, Montel Williams and Helius Medical Technologies, in partnership with BIAA, launched Tackling TBI, an awareness campaign for TBI. The mission of the campaign is to raise awareness of TBI and concussions as growing health issues, to educate patients and caregivers, provide resources and to share opportunities to participate in research. The campaign includes a Public Service Announcement (PSA) featuring Montel Williams and former NFL player Marvin Washington, and a video series of interviews with TBI patients. Information on a Helius sponsored clinical trial for TBI can be found at http://www.braininjurytrial.com. Currently more than 5.3 million Americans in the U.S. live with a lifelong disability as a … Continue reading →

A WOMAN who nearly lost her life after mistaking a major brain injury for a hangover has talked about her journey for the first time. Five years ago, Gemma Beales suffered horrendous headaches following a night out with her husband Mike though put her pain down to a hangover. The 33-year-olds condition soon deteriorated, and she collapsed on the bathroom floor after suffering from seizures. The former Coventry resident was rushed to University Hospital by ambulance where her seizures were controlled and she was taken for an MRI scan. The scan found a bleed to Gemmas brain, as well as a large number of clots over her body, and she was admitted to Critical Care. More concerning news was revealed to Gemmas family the following day. She said: The next morning, a senior nurse rang my parents to say that Id seriously deteriorated and needed to have an emergency operation. They didnt know if Id survive, or what long-term effects the brain injury might have had, but that operation saved my life. Even my consultant said it was a miracle that Id survived. During the operation, Gemma needed to have part of her skull removed to relieve pressure on her … Continue reading →