Dr. Donald Stein and his colleagues authored a paper regarding the neuroprotective effects of progesterone administered to those who have suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury. Stein, director of Emory’s University School of Medicine Department of Emergency Medicine Brain Research Laboratory first discovered the neuroprotective properties of progesterone in the laboratory. Members of his research team have been studying its properties for nearly 20 years as well. They found that giving progesterone to patients soon after brain injury may reduce the risk of death and decrease the degree of potential disability. Laboratory studies found that progesterone is critical for the normal development of neurons in the brain and offers protective effects on damaged brain tissue. Progesterone is naturally present in the brains of both men and women. In the study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, Stein and his colleagues reported that only 13 percent of severe TBI patients who received progesterone died compared to 30 percent of those given a placebo. Furthermore, after 30 days 56 percent of patients’ functions had improved after a moderate TBI, including improved motor response and abilities to communicate. Few clinically effective therapies currently exist for TBI so the progesterone findings are welcome.