Cannabis, which can activate the bodys cannabinoid receptors, is now being tested as treatment for healing brain function after traumatic injury. A study, which was conducted at the University of Madrid, suggested that activation of bodys cannabinoid receptors, such as consuming cannabis, was vital in awakening the neuroprotective effects of the drug. The findings also suggested the cannabis could enhance other beneficial effects of a number of prescription drugs. The discovery is an echo of a previous one published this year, where the exact conclusion was made. The author the study, Dr. Yosef Sarne of Tel Aviv Universitys Adelson Center for the Biology of Addictive Diseases, said ultra-low doses of tetrahydrocannabinol mightprecondition the brain to protect against damage like lack of oxygen, seizures or toxic drug exposure. Essentially, Sarne argued that low doses of THC could act as a kind of vaccine. Sarne also suggested that THC could act as a preventative measure against patients on cardiopulmonary heart-lung machines used in open heart surgery, when interrupting the blood supply to the brain can sometimes occur. In the study, which was published in Behavioral Brain Research and Experimental Brain Research, mice were injected with a single dose of THC around 1,000 … Continue reading →

By Scott Malone BOSTON (Reuters) - The National Football League has agreed to pay $765 million to settle a lawsuit brought by thousands of former players, many suffering from dementia and health problems, who accused the league of hiding the dangers of brain injury while profiting from the sport's violence. The deal announced on Thursday comes a week before the NFL begins a new season and could resolve a long-running concern for team owners, who faced the prospect of a possibly lengthy trial that could have delved deeply into how well the league understood the toll that football can take on its players. Sports business experts described the settlement, which will be paid out over decades, as a modest amount of money for the NFL, believed to generate total revenue of $9 billion or $10 billion a year. But they also said the more than 4,500 former players who brought their case in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania could have a struggled to prove each plaintiff's health problems was a direct result of years on the playing field. "It would certainly seem to be fair financial terms to the NFL as an enterprise, especially given how … Continue reading →

by KING 5 HealthLink KING5.com Posted on August 30, 2013 at 6:16 PM Maps can lead us to some of our favorite destinations, but did you know they may also put us on the road to better health? Now, new research in brain mapping may help find treatments to some of the most common neurological and memory disorders. Dr. Mayank Mehta is studying the secrets of the human brain. "We hope this could help us understand what goes wrong in Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Mayank Mehta, Professor of Neurology, Physics, and Astronomy. Mehta is mapping neuron patterns that form when rats do simple tasks. The goal is to learn more about how different sections of the brain communicate. "The brain has its own dynamics, its own laws of physics. If that goes wrong, clearly it will play a role in loss of memory, such as Alzheimer's or PTSD," Dr. Mehta explained. Diseases that Dr. Arthur Toga says may one day could be treated using brain mapping. "Our ability to look at a living brain of an individual that has a disease, or has had a traumatic brain injury, has allowed us to target exactly what has happened and suggest various … Continue reading →

Poole, Dorset (PRWEB UK) 30 August 2013 Many whiplash victims are failing to get proper treatment after their initial diagnosis at A&E, warn injury claims solicitors Coles Miller. The injured victims are risking their long term health by failing to press for specialist follow up treatment by physiotherapists. Relying simply on initial medical advice from overburdened Accident & Emergency staff can result in acute whiplash degenerating into a chronic condition, warned Coles Miller Partner Adrian Cormack. We are seeing a lot of cases like this, said Mr Cormack, a UK Legal 500 recommended solicitor who leads the personal injury team at Coles Miller. The problem has been increasing because whiplash victims are becoming more reticent about taking the time off they need for treatment. Some of this is due to the growing stigma associated with reporting a whiplash injury but much of it is due to the current climate of austerity, believes Mr Cormack. Dealing with whiplash caused by a motoring accident can be time consuming involving the initial diagnosis and treatment at A&E, taking the car to the garage for repairs, picking up a hire car then an average of six to eight physiotherapy sessions. If youre working for … Continue reading →

A Vancouver resident recovering from a brain injury has made a a sizable donation to a fund named after a Coquitlam man who shares the same affliction. This month, Jean-Pierre Forest handed over $100,000 to the Michael Coss Brain Injury Fund, which was set up this spring by the Coquitlam Foundation. Forest handed over the cash on Aug. 3 after a tandem skydive in Abbotsford, his first free fall after surviving a plane crash five years ago. In the accident, Forest sustained a brain injury as well as internal injuries, a broken vertebrae, a compound fracture of his right forearm. Coss, who was hurt in a car accident in 2006, and Forest have supported each other through their healing processes. The Michael Coss fund pays for hyperbaric oxygenation therapy that helped to revive Coss after a six-month coma. The therapy, which is available in Coquitlam, is not covered under the provincial medical-insurance program. The fund is available for children with brain injuries and Tri-City kids are given preference for the support, which also includes grants for other non-funded alternative therapies. "We join with the Coss family in thanking Mr. Forest for his generosity, said foundation chair Julie Fisher, in a … Continue reading →