University of California, Riverside researchers develop novel transparent skull implant that could provide new treatment options for disorders such as brain cancer and traumatic brain injury By Sean Nealon on September 3, 2013 Members of the research team, from left, Javier Garay, Yasuhiro Kodera, Carissa L. Reynolds, Yasaman Damestani, Guillermo Aguilar, Masaru P. Rao and B. Hyle Park. RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) A team of University of California, Riverside researchers have developed a novel transparent skull implant that literally provides a window to the brain, which they hope will eventually open new treatment options for patients with life-threatening neurological disorders, such as brain cancer and traumatic brain injury. The teams implant is made of the same ceramic material currently used in hip implants and dental crowns, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ). However, the key difference is that their material has been processed in a unique way to make it transparent. A version of the transparent skull implant developed by UC Riverside researchers. Since YSZ has already proven itself to be well-tolerated by the body in other applications, the teams advancement now allows use of YSZ as a permanent window through which doctors can aim laser-based treatments for the brain, importantly, without having to … Continue reading →

(PRWEB) September 04, 2013 In a study commissioned by the Veterans Administration, the Rand Corporation interviewed thousands of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan and estimated 18% suffer from PTSD and 19% suffer from traumatic brain injury (TBI). Yet according to the Defense and Brain Injury Center, 266,810 soldiers were diagnosed with PTSD from 2000 through 2012; yet only 54,000 were diagnosed with TBI during this period. "Soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with TBI are being under-diagnosed and often ineffectively treated. This under-diagnosis and ineffective treatment results in increased levels of chronic pain, substance abuse, depression and suicide among returning warriors," stated Rolando Hernandez M.D. neurosurgeon for Neurological Wellness Center. A study published in 2012 in the journal CNS Drugs** involving persons with TBI treated with perispinally administered etanercept (Enbrel) found that 75.0% reported a reduction in chronic pain, 87.5% exhibited a reduction of cognitive impairment, and 80.0 exhibited a reduction of psychological impairment. The authors note: Rapid improvement of mood, affect, and attitude was commonly observed. Patients and families commonly reported improvement of depression, anxiety, irritability, motivation, initiative, hopefulness and a return to pre-TBI personality (his personality is back) and a sense of humor. An examination of the Veterans … Continue reading →

Cambridge News Follow us on Wednesday 4 Sep 2013 3:36 PM Written byLIZZY BUCHAN A brain injury survivor has said he is a different person after a rehabilitation centre saved him from depression. Tim Lodge, of Burwell, suffered a serious brain injury after falling off his bike in 2009 and the incident left his so low that he attempted suicide. In a new book called Life After Brain Injury: Survivors Stories, the 52-year-old credits the work of the Oliver Zangwill Centre (OZC), at the Princess of Wales Hospital, in Ely, for helping him to rebuild his life. He said: I was riding home one evening from my job as a design engineer at Marshalls, when I got knocked off my bike. I didnt think Id been knocked unconscious and I had no obvious serious injuries, so after I was checked over at the hospital I was sent home. I just thought I might need a few days off and then go back to work. Tim began to suffer from headaches and his head swelled up so he went to his doctor again. Tests then confirmed he had a serious brain injury. After recommendations that he attend the OZC, Tim admitted … Continue reading →

BRAINTREE, Mass., Sept.4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Snowboarding star and traumatic brain injury survivor Kevin Pearce will be the keynote speaker at Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital's 34th Annual Neurorehabilitation Conference, to be held October 26 and 27 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts. One of the longest running and most prestigious conferences of its kind, this event brings together thought leaders in traumatic brain injury, stroke and other neurologic disorders to present the most recent research and clinical findings and discuss their impact on patient treatment. Pearce, son of internationally renowned glass artist Simon Pearce, was considered a favorite to make the U.S. Olympic Team for the 2010 Vancouver Games when he sustained a traumatic brain injury during a halfpipe training run which ended his career. His remarkable story was chronicled in the documentary, "The Crash Reel." Today, as a sports commentator and an advocate for the prevention of traumatic brain injuries, he will speak about his life-altering experience and subsequent neurorehabilitation. "Kevin Pearce's experience will enlighten us in our understanding of brain injury, recovery and how it affects the lives of survivors and their families," said Dr. Douglas Katz, Medical Director of the nationally recognized Acquired Brain Injury Program at … Continue reading →

Put aside what you think you know about the sex hormone progesterone and consider this: It could be the foundation for a drug treatment for traumatic brain injury. BHR Pharma said Tuesday that its completed enrollment in a Phase III safety and efficacy study of its progesterone formulation, BHR-100, as a neuroprotective agent for people who experience moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. Started back in June of 2010, the SyNAPSe trial has extended the experimental therapy to nearly 1,200 TBI patients at 150 participating sites in the U.S., Israel, Argentina and 18 other countries in Europe and Asia. Patients in the trial received a five-day continuous IV infusion of progesterone beginning within eight hours of injury, the company says. The primary goal is to see improved outcomes six months after injury using the Glasgow Outcome Scale. Results for the trial, which has been done in conjunction with the American Brain Injury Consortium and the European Brain Injury Consortium, are expected in May 2014. A company representative could not be reached for additional comments on Tuesday. Although its most commonly known for its role in regulating certain functions of ovulation and menstruation in women, progesterone therapy has also been found … Continue reading →