Ever since the military enacted cognitive testing before and after deployment of our soldiers, a number have been recognized as suffering a traumatic brain injury earlier. Still, it would be even more ideal if there was a technology that recognized the injury at the time it was incurred. The Brain Trauma Foundation, with the support of the Defense Department, is developing a handheld eye-tracking device that will enable military medical personnel to determine on the battlefield within seconds if a soldier has sustained a traumatic brain injury. Historically, TBI has been difficult to detect and was often under-diagnosed because the condition was confused with psychological rather than physical injury. Perhaps in the near future this technology will be available to first responders to emergencies and injuries stateside, such as EMTs, and will assist in the immediate detection allowing for treatment earlier. A rapid cooling technique, used in spinal cord injury, could be applied in route to emergency care for traumatic brain injuries. A number of innovative techniques, drugs and rehabilitation processes are being tested in clinical trials and some are close to FDA approval. The future is looking a little less bleak for families and for those who have suffered a TBI.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 09:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

An Indianapolis family is fighting for the right of their traumatic brain injured child to educational services mandated by law. Mikey Berns, 5, suffered a traumatic brain injury when a 150 pound cabinet fell on him last October. Mikey’s mother, Amy Berns, said the school district has refused to allow the boy to attend full day kindergarten at a local elementary school because they don’t believe he needs the services. Mikey’s doctor disagrees, saying it is vital to the boy’s education and development. His mother goes on to say, “That first six months and then that year mark is the most critical time frame in order to recoup those skills that were damaged from the injury.” Since the school refused to allow Mikey to attend full-day kindergarten, his family enrolled him in one-on-one instruction at a learning center at a cost of nearly $1,200 a week. His family is asking the school district to reimburse them for the private programs since law mandates care for special educational students and for the attorney costs mounting in their fight. “The government provides funding for special education children so that money is given to the schools so that they can implement an individualized education plan specific to that child's needs,” Berns said. “That's what they've failed to provide for him.” The school system countered, “Hamilton Southeastern provides a free and appropriate education to any of its students with special needs according to state and federal guidelines. This is an instance where the parents and school district disagree about what is appropriate,” Said a statement from Marianna Richards, director of school and community relations. This is just one example of discrimination against individuals with a traumatic brain injury.

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Paige Connard was in a cycling accident over Memorial Day weekend that left her with numerous injuries including a traumatic brain injury. She was wearing a helmet at the time, but the accident was severe enough that doctors had to remove a portion of her skull and right frontal lobe to alleviate pressure. Connard’s husband Gerry Jeffs was told by doctors that this was as bad as it gets. Before the accident Paige was a speech pathologist and the bitter irony is that she is to undergo speech therapy along with physical and occupational therapy. Her family says that they have yet to face the nightmare of insufficient medical insurance coverage that so often victims of TBI and their families go through. Currently, Connard is staying at CareMeridian in Gilroy, CA a facility that specializes in brain and spinal cord injuries. Those who have gone through the process of rehabilitation know how expensive it can get, with therapists known to charge about $100 an hour. According to Jeffs, their insurance coverage is good, but will not be enough to cover the therapy costs. Fortunately, Connard's friends and family have been there to support her both financially and emotionally, but many of the other thousands of Americans who have suffered a TBI are not so blessed. Some estimates of the total cost of TBI rehabilitation and recovery can be pegged at more than $1 million. It is important to know what recourse is available for victims of a TBI, so talk to a lawyer knowledgeable in the area.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 08:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A traveling bathtub will be seen rolling down a mall in Minnesota to launch a campaign to prevent traumatic brain injury. We may ask what a bathtub has to do with TBI. The traveling bathtub scene is intended to bring attention to the number one cause of TBI which are falls. The Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) will have an interactive Brain Bar Kiosk that will include an educational display that will allow visitors to build their own brain and share it through an online gallery. Campaign workers will be recognized by their bathrobe and slipper apparel. Following the mall appearance, the Brain Bar will visit the Minnesota State Fair and the Minneapolis bike Tour. More than 1.5 million traumatic brain injury incidents are reported in the U.S. every year. Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death and disability among children and young adults.

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Sergeant Andrew Birzer had a military career spanning 17 years, but after experiencing a traumatic brain injury from a roadside bomb in Afghanistan he made the decision, “I'd rather be more sedated than more angry.” Birzer’s situation is not an unusual one. After the explosion four years ago, Birzer didn’t seek medical help and started another tour for thirteen months in Iraq. “I just ignored the headaches. The headaches, as far as I was concerned was stress from the situation,” he said. His family however, knew something was very different the moment he arrived home. Now his short term memory is poor and he takes dozens of medications for depression and anxiety. Sergeant Birzer’s situation speaks the same for thousands of non-military types who have suffered a traumatic brain injury. Thankfully, Birzer was finally diagnosed and now receives full time counseling and therapy to help with his life as a husband and father.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 09:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Department of Defense is in the process of distributing $300 million on research for traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. To put the amount in perspective, it is the most spent in one year on medical research since a $210 million breast cancer study in 1993. The distributions will fund 171 research projects. Gregory O’Shanick, national medical director for the Brain Injury Association of America, said the funding initiative is “without a doubt an all-time high” in spending by the government on traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. As is expected, civilian victims will benefit directly from the military studies. By contrast, the National Institutes of Health, the world’s largest government sponsor of medical research with an annual budget of $28 billion, spends about $80 million per year on TBI research, according to the NIH. “It is huge,” said Ross Bullock, director of neurotrauma at the University of Miami School of Medicine and lead investigator in a Pentagon-funded study of a drug designed to improve oxygen flow to damaged brain cells. “It is the just the most enormous thing that has happened in traumatic brain injury research.” According to Navy Capt. E. Melissa Kaime, head of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs office the new research will focus considerable attention on TBI and studies are expected to complete between 18 months and 5 years. She further says that the military funding will go toward evaluating up to 20 different medications for TBI and studying ways of regenerating damaged brain cells. Half of the $300 million in Pentagon funds have been distributed, and all will be paid out by Sept. 30, Kaime said.

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With gas prices at an all time high more and more individuals are taking to the roads on their bicycles in order to save money, help the environment and maybe lose an extra pound or two. The Department of Health and Human Services and Making Headway Center for Brain Injury Recovery are taking this opportunity to remind those who elect to cycle their way about to be sure to wear a helmet. Wearing a helmet can prevent or limit the amount of head trauma experienced, thus evading the life changing effects of a traumatic brain injury. When about to purchase a helmet remember the following: check to be sure that the helmet is safe by making sure it dons stickers from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) or the Standards for Protective Headgear (SNELL). If it has one of these it has been deemed acceptable for cycling use. The helmet should also fit in such a way that it is level across the top of the head, should not move more than an inch in any direction and the straps should be adjusted so they are snug. If in a bike-related crash, replace the helmet because often the damage to the bicycle helmet cannot be seen and its level of safety has been compromised. Not all states require helmet usage in bicycling, but the obvious advantages to wearing one are apparent. While a TBI occurs every 21 seconds in the U.S., 85 percent of all TBI is preventable.

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In 2005 Tera Clark, 25, was hit by an impaired driver causing her a traumatic brain injury, broken neck, collapsed lung and broken bones. At first her progress was amazing, but when her recovery started to plateau, her mother decided to try Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. HOT is typically used in scuba diving accidents where the victims experience “the bends” because a too rapid ascent caused nitrogen bubbles to accumulate in the bloodstream. The therapy is sometimes used in hospitals to also help wounds heal, but this new treatment is considered “off-label” and experimental. The first privately-owned HOT facility in Arkansas has opened and this new clinic is using the therapy to treat traumatic brain injury. The treatment at The HBO Clinic in Little Rock is not covered by insurance because the clinic uses the oxygen therapy for non-FDA approved uses. For Tera Clark and her family it doesn’t matter because Tera has made significant progress. Her mother Jeana Halter said, “We are six weeks into the process now, and we've seen great improvements with memory, her cognitive skills, her ability to ambulate. Her joints have loosened up drastically. So I've been very pleased with it.” Dr. Gary Villines of The HBO Clinic said, “We can't promise that this will be of miraculous benefit, but there's enough evidence out there to show this is at least worth trying.” Dr. Villines hopes to have Tera walking unassisted within a year. Since he can treat patients in a private setting, and has less overhead than a hospital, he usually charges less than $200 per treatment.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In an effort to determine the prevalence of chronic pain syndromes i.e. headaches in those with mild Traumatic Brain Injury and moderate to severe Traumatic Brain Injury, the Journal of the American Medical Association compiled data from searches executed in databases and articles published between 1951 and February 2008. The search found twenty-three studies including 4206 patients. In twelve of the studies involving civilians as opposed to veterans, they found 1670 patients of which 966 complained of chronic headache (57.8%). The prevalence of chronic pain was greater in patients with mild TBI compared to moderate or severe TBI. The report determined that chronic pain is a common complication in all ranges of TBI.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 08:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Thanks to the men and women veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraqi wars, traumatic brain injury is gaining increased attention. Awareness has increased and so has the detection capabilities using new imaging and biomarker tests to diagnose TBI. Over the last decade researchers have increased their understanding of the physical effects of TBI and the technologies have improved to the point of helping communicate a clearer picture of the injury. In the past doctors would have to rely on an MRI or a CT scan, but those are not as adept at detecting neural damage associated with a TBI. Now there is diffusion tensor imaging, a type of MRI that could illuminate the individual axon pathways. Furthermore, tensor imaging has been found to be useful during recovery, showing doctors which parts of the brain were responding to rehabilitation. A chemical analysis, called a biomarker using proteins or enzymes, can show up in the blood with higher-than-normal or lower-than-normal amounts. Hospitals already use a biomarker test to diagnose heart attack victims and researchers are looking for a way to make diagnosing TBI as simple. There are a number of studies out there concentrating on the treatment of TBI including the neuroprotective abilities of the hormone progesterone and more currently cyclosporin, an immunosuppressant drug usually used in organ transplant patients. Both show promising results. Harvard researchers are currently conducting a clinical trial using citicoline, a type of stimulant that shows signs it might both protect and restore neurons. The Harvard team plans to publish preliminary results of the clinical trial soon.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 08:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research has been awarded in the amount of $4.9 million to Carolinas Rehabilitation to study the drug Amantadine in the treatment of traumatic brain injury. The study will conduct research to determine if the drug, which is used to bring TBI victims out of a coma, can be used to limit the irritability and aggression often associated with a brain injury. Physicians from Carolinas Rehabilitation were the first to discover that Amantadine might extend its usefulness. The grant will be used to repeat the physicians’ findings at multiple sites nationwide to determine Amantadine’s efficacy in treating the cognitive dysfunctions often associated with TBIs. Carolinas Rehabilitation is a division of Carolinas HealthCare System of Charlotte, North Carolina which owns, leases or manages 23 hospitals in the Carolinas.

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NeuroHealing Pharmaceuticals is a company that develops products for individuals with traumatic brain injuries. The Food and Drug Administration recently awarded the company a three-year grant of $1,044,000 for the clinical development of NH001 from its Office of Orphan Products Development. The OOPD of the FDA is dedicated to promoting the development of products that demonstrate promise for the treatment of rare diseases or conditions. The NH001 product is currently in a phase IIa clinical trial attempting to improve the functional outcome of patients in a vegetative or minimally conscious state following a severe TBI. In the previous phase trials, the product has shown promising results and has received authorization from the FDA to begin an additional double blind Phase IIb clinical trial. Dr. Elkan Gamzu, acting Head of Clinical Trials at NeuroHealing, said, “This grant will provide the initial funding to begin the clinical program at the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliated hospital and one of the leading rehabilitation facilities in the U.S., and will enable the continued development of this treatment which may offer patients, their families and physicians a new therapeutic option to help brain injured patients in an altered consciousness state.”

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Even with the increasing awareness of the worldwide epidemic of Traumatic Brain Injury, investors still are not interested in investing in companies that are developing therapies for TBI. According to Harry Tracy, who runs Cardiff, Calif.-based NI Research, a consulting and research firm focused on the neurological and psychiatric therapeutics industry, the amount of mid to large size firms developing drugs for brain injuries range from “zero to maybe 5 or 10 percent.” He further proclaims that “there are some promising programs that have really suffered” for lack of funding and investment. Most are small biotech or specialty pharma companies. While the current wartime as raised awareness of TBI, the condition has been “very much underappreciated from a drug development perspective,” according to Larry Glass, U.S. CEO of Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd. More than 1.5 million cases of TBI are reported annually in the U.S according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and yet, “there have been virtually no big pharma efforts to develop drugs,” said Glass. While clinical development for TBI is complicated, uncertain and expensive, “the potential returns are phenomenal,” he concluded.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 08:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Traumatic brain injuries due to falls are responsible for nearly 8,000 deaths and 56,000 hospitalizations in 2005 among Americans 65 and older, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A study analyzed data from two agencies and provided a sampling of deaths and injuries in relationship to Traumatic Brain Injuries and the elderly. Death rates for fall-related TBIs were higher among men that women citing the numbers 26.9 per 100,000 for men and 17.8 per 100,000 for women. Traumatic brain injuries resulting in hospitalizations for both men and women were similar at 146.3 for men and 158.3 for women per 100,000. The rates of fall-related TBI deaths and hospitalizations increased with age. The median charge for TBI hospitalizations were $19,191 for men and $16,006 for women. With more baby boomers reaching retirement age, these types of injuries will increase and the demands on the health care system will be felt. In an effort to prevent as many as possible, the CDC developed tips and suggestions for older adults, their caregivers, health care providers and communities in a hope to communicate the dangers.

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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.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 08:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Over the past 20 years science has been able to get a handle on the visual effects of traumatic brain injury through refined and improved neuroimaging techniques. Even though many believe “information is power”, the gap between knowledge and treatment is increasing. Tens of thousands of Americans lie in nursing homes in comas and other diminished states resulting from traumatic brain injury. Thousands more will join them each year. Unfortunately the majority are at the mercy of a medical establishment ill equipped to assess their needs and provide treatment, according to several recent studies. Although there are many potential treatments in trials and studies globally, a paltry few are used as an established treatment measure. In the last decade scientists have learned that the brain doesn’t stop growing and can repair itself in a process that is still barely understood. This is why, with good therapy, people can learn to speak, eat and walk again. “The brain isn't a black box anymore - we know a lot about what's going on now with head injuries in patients who are comatose for days or weeks,” said Dalton Dietrich, a neurologist and scientific director at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. “We're way past the dark ages of brain and spinal cord injury [of] 20 years ago.” Doctors hold on to the promise that every brain is as unique as its injury. Scientists at the University of Miami and elsewhere are looking for new breakthrough treatments such as: stem cell treatment, deep brain stimulators used in Parkinson’s, artificial blood and hypothermia to retard trauma. Funding remains a problem, but it is an epidemic whose numbers have exceeded those of HIV/AIDS and breast cancer.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 09:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In a recent Psychiatric Times article, Dr. Ricardo E, Jorge professor of psychiatry at the University of Iowa, illuminated the impact of reintegrating Traumatic Brain Injury patients back into society. Consideration needs to be taken concerning their cognition and behavioral changes which constitutes the majority of TBI disabilities. In a control group of 939 TBI patients and 2,817 doctors a comparison was made between the effects of mental illnesses in those with moderate to severe and mild TBI. It was found that the prevalence of psychiatric illness in the first year following a moderate to severe TBI was 49 percent and those with a mild TBI experienced mental illness 34 percent of the time. What this means is that patients with moderate to severe TBI are 4 times more likely than the general population to develop a psychiatric illness in the six months following their injury. A discouraging 61 percent of those evaluated eight years after sustaining a TBI suffered from major depression and anxiety disorders, a significant amount more than those in the control group. Along with the increased number of mood disorders in TBI patients, researchers also found structural and/or functional alternations in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, indicating that structural brain damage plays a large part in psychiatric illness. Furthermore, not only does the TBI-caused damage to the prefrontal regions and limbic structures initiate mood disorders, but the disturbed neural circuits often continue to wreak havoc in the brain causing the illness to progress and evolve over time. As discouraging as this information is it helps create an increased awareness of the severity of this nationwide epidemic and will perhaps save a number of potential victims who instead chose to wear something as simple as a helmet.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 08:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Earlier in the year Utah legislators approved House Bill 174 establishing a Traumatic Brain Injury Trust Fund. The trust fund begins with a one-time allocation of $50,000 intended to train medical personnel in treatment and recognition of traumatic brain injuries. The program will also help uninsured patients cover medical expenses not covered by Medicaid. “This fund could really open up the door for people who have been shut out of services in the past,” said Ron Roskos, director of the Brain Injury Association of Utah. “We hope this will be another avenue that individuals can use to access services.” More than 2,500 traumatic brain injuries occur a year and the number is increasing due to our returning war veterans. Only a handful of states have similar funds set aside for traumatic brain injuries. Once the distribution process has been finalized Rep. James Gowans – D, sponsor of the bill, will return to the legislature in the next session requesting long-term funding.

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Orange County California will be at the center of a new clinical trial using a hypertonic saline solution by emergency workers and medical doctors in the treatment and resuscitation method for victims of severe traumatic brain injury. The group labeled The Orange County Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium includes hospitals, healthcare agencies and fire departments. The ROC group’s effort will attempt to substantiate previous studies that have shown that hypertonic saline safely and effectively decreases inflammation in brain traumas. A similar approach was used with considerable success with the Buffalo Bill’s Tight End Kevin Everett after he suffered a spinal cord injury during a football game. The Orange County ROC trial will differ from other clinical trials because many of its participants will not be able to give consent or have family nearby to do so. Consent is required for all clinical studies, although federal law allows for exceptions if the safety of the product to be used has been proven in previous trials and if study leaders conduct community outreach discussions and opt-out measures for those who do not want to participate.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 04:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Massachusetts tri-athlete Kenneth L. McDonnell, 58, was struck by a woman straying into the breakdown lane by her car while bicycling last fall, leaving him seriously injured. The woman was sentenced to one year probation, $350 in court fees and 100 hours of community service in a hospital or nursing home after her negligence caused a traumatic brain injury in the bicyclist. What makes this case interesting is that she must also complete the Brains at Risk program which is an “awareness and prevention court referral program that links dangerous driving behaviors to the devastating effects of traumatic brain injury,” according to the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts’ website. McDonnell who is biking again was initially given a 1-in 4 chance of survival. He said doctors credit the fact that he was in good physical condition at the time of the accident which probably saved his life. McDonnell said he was wearing a helmet at the time, but it was smashed when he flew off his bike and onto the car. He said the brain injury has left him with short-term memory problems and personality changes. The court ruling is disappointing because he has little financial support while seeking a full-time position that allows for the uniqueness of his injury.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 09:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Evidence found by clinician-scientists with the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center suggest that following a Traumatic Brain Injury patients should be given nutritional supplementation through a gastric feeding tube as soon as possible. They found it can improve the chances of survival by 4 times. “The evidence shows that the body heals better when it is given proper nutrition, not just the bare minimum that keeps someone alive,” says lead author Dr. Roger Hartl, a neurological surgeon at NY-P/Weill Cornell, and the Leonard and Fleur Harlan Clinical Scholar and assistant professor of neurological surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College. “Before now, patients were required to have nutritional supplementation within the first week following their injury, but our findings suggest that this is simply not soon enough.” The study's findings are published in this month's issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery. This is the largest study to ever look at the issue of nutrition and survival following TBI. The research team followed the survival outcome and nutritional care in 797 patients from 2000 - 2006. The study found that the best outcomes for patients with TBI were observed when theys received a minimum of 25kcal/kg each day. The study also found that as many as 62 percent of patients with TBI never experienced this level of caloric intake. Dr. Härtl said, “These new recommendations will be added to a widely used TBI handbook, 'Guidelines for Management of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury,'” published by the Brain Trauma Foundation.

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The Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center in Colorado is credited with encouraging and motivating many with disabilities including Traumatic Brain Injuries. Richard Abbott of Summit County, CO is one of them. Almost two years ago he was hit by a car while biking to work in Dillon in 2006. He was taken by a Flight-for-Life helicopter to St. Anthony’s Central Hospital in Denver, where doctors found he had sustained major brain injuries, numerous facial fractures and was launched into a coma they thought he would never emerge from. After several surgeries, he was transferred to Craig Hospital, a rehabilitation center outside of Denver which specializes in patients with spinal cord and brain injuries. He had to learn how to talk, walk and swallow all over again. He spent almost a year at Craig. Since 1976, the BOEC has been providing outdoor experiences for people with disabilities in the Rocky Mountains and beyond. “One of the biggest populations we work with is people with traumatic brain injuries, and in early June, we hold a brain-injury camp in conjunction with the Brain Injury Association of Colorado” said development director Marci Sloan. Abbott decided to take advantage of a seven-day brain-injury camp and arrived at the Scott Griffith Lodge in Breckenridge for a week of biking, rafting, fishing and rock-wall climbing. Although he still suffers from frequent bouts of dizziness that slow him down, he recently participated in the Third Annual Adaptive Cycle Fest at Keystone Resort, joining eight other riders on a scenic tour of Summit County’s bike paths.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 06:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Poly-ethylene glycol (PEG) is being hailed as a possible new treatment used to minimize traumatic brain injury. The research is still in its initial phases. In the Journal of Biological Engineering a paper describes an experiment infusing rats suffering from a TBI with the self-described “spackle-like” substance within 2 to 6 hours of the injury. The PEG helped neurons by “sealing up” leaky membranes. The scientists found that the rats that were given intravenous PEG within 4 hours after brain injury had a better recovery than the rats who received a placebo. If further studies prove successful PEG could soon be carried in ambulances for immediate use in head trauma victims.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A partnership has been developed between Force Protection Inc. and the Medical University of South Carolina in an attempt to create crash-test dummies with a faux brain that can be used to study the impact of trauma to the cerebrum. Earlier this month, Force Protection and MUSC announced the opening of their Force Protection Center for Brain Research at MUSC that is dedicated to traumatic brain injury. The center houses a Siemens 3-Tesla MRI scanner known for its extremely detailed images. Neurologist and psychiatrist Dr. Mark George will be heading the project and has focused on brain imaging most of his career. He says the problem with older scanners is that they cannot detect fine frays in the neuro-connections that make up the brain. “The problem with this type of brain injury is that it’s not easily detectable. People ask, ‘Are they faking it?’ And that sets up this terrible dialogue. The reason it goes undetected is that traumatic brain injury is a fraying of the cable and that is below the resolution of most scanners,” explained Dr. George. The project is still in its discovery phase and is exploring the best alternative for simulating the neuro-connections of the brain. It is the unfortunate plight of our soldiers returning from war that triggered this partnership, but the long term and far reaching significance will benefit all who have suffered from a traumatic brain injury.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 07:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Utah agencies and community groups are uniting to increase visibility of traumatic brain injury services in that state. With the increasing number of veterans returning and being diagnosed with TBIs, the awareness of the injury has increased. Fortunately, Utah has a diverse network of services for people who have suffered a TBI, but many who qualify for care aren’t aware of what is available to them. The VA brought together federal and state agencies, community organizations and medical providers who work with TBI patients in a recent conference. According to Dr. Jennifer Romesser, a clinical psychologist with the Salt Lake City Veterans Affairs Health Care System, TBIs are so complicated and take a team of medical and social service providers to care for the wounded and their families. “Something that often comes up when working with patients and families is how difficult it is to know about the different resources available,” Romesser says. “And really what we were aiming to do with this conference was to try to educate providers about the difference services so they can help families and survivors navigate that really complex system of care.” It was fortunate that the VA called a conference and not only for the veterans. The group plans to publish a handbook of services all Utah residents can access who have been diagnosed with a TBI including our veterans.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 04:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For the elderly, brain injuries have been found to be a little more than half responsible for their death according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study. The CDC examined 16,000 deaths in 2005 that listed unintentional falls as the underlying cause of death. The elderly fear breaking a hip when they fall, but this new research proves otherwise. “A lot of people don't think a fall is serious unless they broke a bone, they don't think it's serious unless they break a hip. They don't worry about their head,” said Pat Flemming, a senior physical therapist and researcher at Vanderbilt University. Each year, one in three Americans age 65 and older fall. About 30 percent of them require medical treatment. Previous CDC research showed that the U.S. death rate from falling has risen a dramatic 55 percent for the elderly since the 1990s. The new study highlights the role that brain injuries play in such deaths. The consensus seems to be that as people age their veins and arteries are more prone to tearing during a sudden blow or jolt to the head according the CDC epidemiologist Marlena Wald. The tendency for tearing can cause a fatal brain bleed. Other factors include the use of blood thinners. To counteract the possibility of serious injury the CDC encourages older Americans to exercise to increase leg strength and balance. Glasses or a type of vision correction can help people avoid obstacles. Finally, the careful use of drugs that affect thinking and coordination, such as tranquilizers and sleeping pills should be carefully considered. “Falls are not an inevitable consequence of aging. These head injuries are not inevitable, either,” Wald said. The CDC research study is published in the June issue of the Journal of Safety Research.

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The Erickson family’s life in Missoula Montana changed forever the day their father and husband suffered a traumatic brain injury in a logging accident. Jeff Erickson in 2000, then 25-years-old, doesn’t know or remember what happened to him the day he was found unconscious in a tractor cab shortly after 10 a.m., let alone the previous six months of his life. Although loggers were downing trees near the accident, they heard nothing over the noise of chain saws as Jeff's 19,000-pound tractor tumbled 300 yards down the mountain. Once he reached the hospital the staff had to put Jeff in a drug-induced coma. Jeff remained in a coma for three weeks. Later he was moved to a community medical rehabilitation center and remained there for a little over a month. In rehab, Jeff's memory was hit-and-miss. He recognized wife and little girl. He couldn't recall his phone number, but he remembered his childhood number. He couldn't remember if he showered that morning, but when his wife and daughter brought in their miniature pinscher of 6 months and shouted “Scooby-Doo” just as always. According to traumaticbraininjury.net fifty percent of marriages fail within 24 months after a serious injury. His wife admits to staying with Jeff partly for the daughter’s sake, saying, “She needs her father.” Jeff still struggles with controlling his anger and relating with others, including his teenage daughter.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 08:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A new documentary entitled “Wipe Out” directed by Lionel Goddard is a conglomeration of video footage of extreme sports activities and illustrates the epidemic of young men suffering permanent brain injury. Goddard says some of the most striking footage he obtained was from amateurs uploading to YouTube. He coined the findings as, “it was like shooting fish in a barrel. These kids doing all these extreme stunts on film had reams of footage of kids wiping out. It was terrifyingly easy to find.” In the film he grew close to three brain injured victims who are profiled, a professional snowboarder, skateboarder and motorcyclist. “It's by far the most intense film I've ever been involved with,” says the 40-year-old Goddard. “I can't think of anything tougher than talking on camera about a permanent brain injury.” He says there are some 30 traumatic brain injuries every day in British Columbia. “It's probably the biggest health issue that nobody is talking about.” Many victims are young men and teens, caught up in ever more challenging extreme sports. The dynamic has changed.

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In a study from the CDC released in the journal Wilderness and Environmental Medicine presented national outdoor recreational injury estimates and is believed to be the first type study of its kind. Between 2004 and 2005 there were approximately 213,000 people treated each year in emergency departments for outdoor recreational injuries. Of those injured, about 109,000 (51.5 percent) were young people between the ages of 10 and 24. For both men and women of all ages an overall, 6.5 percent of outdoor injuries treated were diagnosed as traumatic brain injury (TBI). “Participation in outdoor recreation is increasingly popular in the United States,” said Arlene Greenspan, Dr. PH and co-author of the study. “The good news is that there are ways to help stay safe while having healthy fun outdoors. For example, by wearing the appropriate helmet for snowboarding, snowmobiling, sledding and rock climbing, you can reduce your risk of having a head injury, which could become a traumatic brain injury. Helmets are one piece of equipment that can have a critical, positive impact.” She concluded.

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In a study from the CDC released in the journal Wilderness and Environmental Medicine presented national outdoor recreational injury estimates and is believed to be the first type study of its kind. Between 2004 and 2005 there were approximately 213,000 people treated each year in emergency departments for outdoor recreational injuries. Of those injured, about 109,000 (51.5 percent) were young people between the ages of 10 and 24. For both men and women of all ages an overall, 6.5 percent of outdoor injuries treated were diagnosed as traumatic brain injury (TBI). “Participation in outdoor recreation is increasingly popular in the United States,” said Arlene Greenspan, Dr. PH and co-author of the study. “The good news is that there are ways to help stay safe while having healthy fun outdoors. For example, by wearing the appropriate helmet for snowboarding, snowmobiling, sledding and rock climbing, you can reduce your risk of having a head injury, which could become a traumatic brain injury. Helmets are one piece of equipment that can have a critical, positive impact.” She concluded.

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In a landmark and hopefully precedent setting decision a class-action lawsuit has been settled in Massachusetts on behalf of 5 individuals with traumatic brain injuries, the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts, and the Stayros Center for Independent Living. The settlement enables nearly 2000 victims of brain injuries to move out of nursing facilities and other institutions after the agreement. The complaint charged that the Commonwealth violated the Americans with Disabilities Act for failing to provide adequate community services. “This is a historic moment for persons with brain injuries in Massachusetts, many of whom have been unnecessarily institutionalized in nursing facilities, often for decades,” said Steven J. Schwartz of the Center for Public Representation, lead counsel for the plaintiffs. “As a result of the settlement, close to 2000 persons with brain injuries finally will be able to live in integrated settings, nearer to their families and their home communities.” Currently, approximately 8000 people with brain injuries reside in nursing and rehabilitative facilities in Massachusetts and according to the plaintiffs’ co-counsel at least a quarter of them could successfully transition to integrated community settings if those services were available. Arlene Korab, Executive Director of BIA-MA said, “Today’s agreement is a first in the nation for people with brain injuries and will serve as a model for other states.” The majority of people with brain injuries spend little time in hospitals and rehabilitative facilities. Once the initial treatment ends, these individuals are left to survive on their own because of the lack of community-based assistance with personal and rehabilitative care to return to semi-independent lives.

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The first ever rally/walk/run 5K in the nation will occur Saturday June 14, in Austin Texas. The fundraiser, The Peace of Mind 5K, is intended to salute and raise money for Americans with combat-related traumatic brain injuries. The event admirably occurs on Flag Day. One thousand American flags will be distributed to attendees to wave in support of those who have served our country. Proceeds from the Peace of Mind 5K will benefit the Defense/Veterans Brain Injury Centers, the Helping a Hero Organization, the Brain Injury Association of Texas and Easter Seals Central Texas. “As Americans, we should honor and serve those who have served our country and have made great sacrifices. These heroes deserve our full support in returning to society and leading full lives,” says Dr. R.W. Van Boven, an Austin neurologist who chairs the Peace of Mind 5K organizing committee. “The Peace of Mind 5K is designed to bring Texans together with one unified purpose -- a rally of support for American heroes who have been wounded at war.” Participants in the event include Texas Governor Rick Perry.

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When a traumatic brain injury has occurred the damaged nerve cells are unable to regenerate. If the injury is severe enough cognitive functionalities can be permanently lost. Patients may experience difficulties in memory and attention, language skills, emotional control, behavior and sensations. The CDC estimates about 5.3 million Americans who have had a TBI need some measure of help with routine daily activities. Post TBI patients may have permanent brain damage, yet the unaffected areas of the brain can be trained to replace some of the injured brain’s lost functions. Valid and useful rehabilitation is imperative for patients with TBI. The goal of rehabilitation is to help patients regain their independence potential. Each patient has different needs and abilities so rehab programs need to be personally tailored to each individual. As an example of critical care for patients with TBI, Scripps Memorial Hospital has developed an intensive outpatient rehabilitation program. TBI patients participate in six-and-half hour program three to four days a week. The program uses a team of psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists and social workers in conjunction with family who work regularly to develop and personalize rehabilitation programs for each patient. The program also helps families find local resources to assist and support patients as they move back into semi-independent living. The cost of traumatic brain injury treatment and rehabilitation can reach into the millions of dollars, that is why it is imperative to know what can be done to help finance such an endeavor and what rights the in