NIH funds promising treatment for TBI recovery
With a five year grant from the National Institutes of Health the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center is studying a new therapy for traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. It is one of the only programs of its kind and is called the First Steps Acute Neurobehavioral and Cognitive Intervention (FANCI). The program concentrates on patients’ survival and treatment.
“A lack of information and limited resources contribute to the long-term challenges of living with brain injury,” said Janet Niemeier, Ph.D., associate professor in the School of Medicine’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. ”Many people’s needs are not fully addressed by existing systems of care. FANCI aims to meet these needs by serving as a resource for brain injury survivors, family members and other caregivers.”FANCI occurs during the acute phase of recovery where 10 sessions each address a common post-injury challenge. Topics include establishing orientation and awareness; improving attention and memory; managing strong and fluctuating emotions; staying positive; preparing for discharge and community re-entry; and knowing about community-based brain injury resources such as state brain injury associations. To further research the study go to http://www.pmr.vcu.edu/default.aspx
