Traumatic Brain Injury News and Research

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Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a form of acquired brain injury, occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. TBI can result when the head suddenly and violently hits an object, or when an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue. Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain. A person with a mild TBI may remain conscious or may experience a loss of consciousness for a few seconds or minutes. Other symptoms of mild TBI include headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, ringing in the ears, bad taste in the mouth, fatigue or lethargy, a change in sleep patterns, behavioral or mood changes, and trouble with memory, concentration, attention, or thinking. A person with a moderate or severe TBI may show these same symptoms, but may also have a headache that gets worse or does not go away, repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures, an inability to awaken from sleep, dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes, slurred speech, weakness or numbness in the extremities, loss of coordination, and increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation.

Interruptions to rehab program after stroke or brain injury may be preventable, study reports

Patients in inpatient rehabilitation after a stroke, brain injury, or spinal cord injury have significant rates of interruptions of their rehab program—often including being transferred back to the hospital for treatment of complications, reports a study in the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, the official journal of the Association of Academic Physiatrists. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

28 Sep 2016

Experimental PET tracer can diagnose concussion-related brain degeneration in living person

An experimental positron emission tomography (PET) tracer can effectively diagnose concussion-related brain degeneration while a person is still alive, according to a proof-of-concept study conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published September 27 in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

27 Sep 2016

Hyaluronidase enzyme may be effective treatment option for spasticity caused by neurological injury

A naturally occurring enzyme called hyaluronidase may be an effective alternative treatment for spasticity, or muscle stiffness, a disabling condition in people who have had a stroke or other brain injury.

26 Sep 2016

Decrease in physical activity and concentration of fish oil linked to depressed mood among veterans

Low concentration of fish oil in the blood and lack of physical activity may contribute to the high levels of depressed mood among soldiers returning from combat, according to researchers, including a Texas A&M University professor and his former doctoral student.

22 Sep 2016

Research re-opens door to possibility of stopping ongoing brain damage

A breakthrough in understanding how brain damage spreads - and how it could potentially be limited - has been made through a collaboration between neuroscientists and engineers at the Universities of Dundee and Strathclyde.

21 Sep 2016

Loyola Medicine introduces multidisciplinary program to diagnose and treat concussions

Loyola Medicine has launched a multidisciplinary Concussion Program to diagnose and treat concussions in athletes and other patients.

16 Sep 2016

Graded aerobic treadmill testing useful in evaluating sports-related concussion in children

Graded aerobic treadmill testing is safe, tolerable, and useful in evaluating and managing cases of sports-related concussion in children and adolescents.

13 Sep 2016

UTHealth receives DOD award to investigate stem cell therapy in adults with TBI

A research team led by Charles S. Cox, Jr., M.D., at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston has been awarded $6.8 million from the U.S. Department of Defense to assess the safety and efficacy of using autologous stem cell therapy in adults with emergent traumatic brain injury.

9 Sep 2016

New non-invasive method could lead to better treatment and diagnosis of migraines

New UBC research has found that amplified electroencephalograms (EEGs) can produce diagnostic results of a brainwave associated with migraines and epilepsy that are comparable to the current, more invasive, standard--a discovery that could lead to better treatment and diagnosis of these conditions.

31 Aug 2016

Adults with moderate to severe TBI may be at greater risk of death from unintentional injuries

Research examining adults with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) who participated in rehabilitation showed that they were twice as likely to die from an unintentional injury that occurred following their TBI.

29 Aug 2016

Optimal doses of omega-3 fatty acids appear to improve outcomes from traumatic brain injury

The treatment of concussions and traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a clinical challenge. Clinical studies thus far have failed to identify an effective treatment strategy when a combination of targets controlling aspects of neuroprotection, neuroinflammation, and neuroregeneration is needed.

25 Aug 2016

Childhood brain injury increases chances of mental illness, poor school attainment and premature death

Childhood brain injuries, including concussions, are associated with an increased risk of subsequent mental illness, poor school attainment and premature death, according to a study published today in PLOS Medicine.

24 Aug 2016

Acupuncture may be viable option to manage pain in children with complex medical conditions

It appears that acupuncture may be a viable option for pain management when it comes to pediatric patients who have complex medical conditions, according to new research published by Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare in St. Paul, Minnesota.

24 Aug 2016

Researchers receive $800,000 grant to reconnect neural communication between parts of the brain

Researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the University of Colorado Boulder have won a $800,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to try and reconnect neural communication between parts of the brain where it has been severed.

18 Aug 2016

Researchers find potential way to reduce effects of TBI with neuron-targeting nanoparticle

A fall down the stairs, a car crash, a sports injury or an explosive blast can all cause traumatic brain injury (TBI).

17 Aug 2016

Inosine treatment can help restore motor control after cortical injury

Brain tissue can die as the result of stroke, traumatic brain injury, or neurodegenerative disease. When the affected area includes the motor cortex, impairment of the fine motor control of the hand can result.

3 Aug 2016

Scientists observe reaction of neurons in real-time after concussive trauma

A team of Brown University researchers has been able to watch in real time what happens to neurons after they experience the kinds of forces involved in a blow to the head.

2 Aug 2016

Early initiation of prophylaxis linked to lower rates of PE and DVT in patients with severe brain injuries

People who sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) are at high risk for developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). PE is a leading cause of death in these patients.

21 Jul 2016

Advances in NIRS technologies offer reduced health-care costs, better patient comfort

The latest advances in near-infrared spectroscopy technologies are enabling development of new capabilities in diagnosis and treatment of disease, offering reduced health-care costs, portability, increased sensitivity, higher patient comfort, and better quality of life.