Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise Researchers at the University of Adelaide have discovered two potential treatments for traumatic brain injury that are most effective when given at different stages after the injury has occurred. Laboratory studies conducted in the University's School of Medical Sciences have confirmed that changes in brain water channels over time play a critical role in traumatic brain injury. For his PhD at the University, researcher Dr Joshua Burton tested two compounds that alter the natural flow of water activity in and out of the brain. He found that recovery from brain injury can be greatly assisted when these compounds are given at the right times. Dr Burton's work could point to the potential development of new drugs as well as new approaches to preventing brain damage and death. The research also has implications for treatment of brain swelling after stroke. "One of the serious consequences of traumatic brain injury is an increase in brain moisture content and associated brain swelling, which significantly impacts patients' neurological outcomes. This swelling can occur for days after the initial injury and is frequently life-threatening," Dr Burton says. "The water channels normally function to protect the brain, but … Continue reading →

The gridiron and the battlefield have little in common, but brain injuries plaguing combat veterans and former football players has doctors and veterans advocates eager to bring brain injury research out of the dark ages. Its too early to determine the similarities and differences of brain trauma between veterans and football players. In the days immediately after their injuries, both are treated the same way: with rest and treatment of pain and other symptoms. SEE ALSO: New Army helmet fails brain injury protection test, may cause worse injuries We still dont know what the complete answer is, said Dr. Ann McKee, the chief of neuropathology in the VA Boston Healthcare System and a professor of neurology and pathology at the Boston University School of Medicine. I can tell you there are some parallels, and also some differences, but its very early on in research. Mike Helm, the new national commander of the American Legion, said its time for researchers to learn from one another. He said new Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald has the same idea. He wants to have a summit, Mr. Helm said. The veteran population is not the only one suffering from traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic … Continue reading →

PHOENIX -- Battered and beaten women living on the streets can now get much needed treatment for traumatic brain injuries. The Barrow Concussion and Brain Injury Center has created a unique program to treat homeless women who have suffered brain injuries due to domestic violence. "Injuries that result in thinking problems, injuries that result in memory problems, injuries that result in headaches and disability, injuries that result in epilepsy and seizures," Dr. Javier Cardenas with the Barrow Concussion and Brain Injury Center said. Cardenas said the center has identified a three-way link between those types of injuries, homelessness and domestic violence. "Many of those injuries are simply unreported," he said. "They don't go to the emergency room, they to their doctor's office and unless there hospitalized because of a life-threatening injury, they seek no medical care." The Barrow Concussion and Brain Injury Center is now working with homeless women to help with any and all domestic violence related injuries that may have caused brain damage. "What we hope to do is identify the injuries in these people who've suffered them as a result of domestic violence and provide them with treatment to address the issues," Cardenas said. So far, the … Continue reading →

By Rachael Brown October 15, 2014, 8:15 am Shares in camera company GoPro have taken a dive after a French journalist suggested it might have been to blame for Michael Schumacher's brain injury. The 45-year-old slammed his head on a rock while skiing with his son and friends in the French Alps in December. He emerged from a medically induced coma in June and is receiving treatment at his Swiss home. French grand prix commentator Jean-Louis Moncet told a European radio station it was not the accident, but the camera attached, that left Schumacher in a coma. "The problem for Michael was not the hit, but the mounting of the GoPro camera that he had on his helmet that injured his brain," Mr Moncet told Europe 1. The French journalist was reported to have spoken to Schumacher's son Mick, but he later denied this in a tweet. Schumacher's helmet shattered but the camera was undamaged in the accident. London's Telegraph newspaper has previously reported that experts from ENSA, a ski and climbing school in Chamonix, have run tests to see if a solid object between a rock and a helmet would cause the helmet to smash. No confirmation has been … Continue reading →

Latest Prevention & Wellness News FRIDAY, Oct. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Parents' lack of knowledge about concussion may hinder youngsters' treatment and recovery, two new studies suggest. One study included a survey of 511 parents of children aged 5 to 18 who suffered a head injury. Only about half of the parents knew that a concussion was a brain injury that could cause symptoms such as headache or difficulty concentrating. Ninety-two percent knew that they should stop their child from playing sports and see a doctor if they suspected their youngster had a concussion, but only 26 percent knew about guidelines on when their child could resume sports and school work. The findings were to presented Friday at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) annual meeting, in San Diego. "Our study showed that the vast majority of parents knew what to do if they suspected a concussion in their child, and in most cases understood the clinical importance of this injury as a brain injury," study author Dr. Kirstin Weerdenburg, a pediatric emergency medicine fellow at Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, said in an AAP news release. "The study also highlights that a physician visit shortly after the … Continue reading →