| Each year in America, there are millions of traumatic | | | | permanent injuries cannot be changed, however, as |
| brain injuries (TBIs) that severely debilitate citizens | | | | researchers are learning, it is becoming more noted |
| from a number of common, everyday activities that | | | | that the winning side of this argument sees that |
| often depend on the severity of their injury. | | | | once thought as a permanent injury can actually be |
| According to the National Institute of Neurological | | | | reversed. |
| Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), common TBI | | | | A recent study completed by the Laboratoire de |
| disabilities include difficulties with cognition affecting | | | | Neurobiologie des Processus Adaptatifs found exactly |
| memory and reasoning; communication through | | | | this when TBI victims that suffered from brain |
| expression and understanding; sensory processing, | | | | damage are likely to have the ability to restore |
| affecting the five senses in various combinations and | | | | cerebral function. |
| ways; behavior and mental health problems ranging | | | | Scientists found that by development of a small |
| from personality changes to increased aggression to | | | | amount of new and specifically targeted innervations |
| social inappropriateness; and TBI can also cause an | | | | proves successful in restoring cerebral functions. |
| individual to become unresponsive and even fall into a | | | | Reinnervation is when nerve function restoration |
| coma. | | | | occurs, often through nerve grafting. |
| The seriousness for which TBI can range and the | | | | The scientists found that with behavioral tests, there |
| length of time these disabilities affect a victim is | | | | was a high success rate of new cell axons |
| based on the severity of the injury, and while there | | | | "interacting with the network of undamaged neuronal |
| are several common treatments, a large number of | | | | cells to restore their associated functions, such as |
| individuals suffering from TBI are never fully | | | | synchronized movement and spatial orientation," |
| rehabilitated. | | | | according to a Science Daily news report. Previously, |
| Luckily, with advances in technology a breadth of | | | | researchers were using a large amount of |
| emerging alternative treatments and research | | | | non-specific connections when attempting |
| methods are being developed to help lessen and | | | | reinnervation. |
| even cure the ill effects of a severe brain injury. | | | | Uncovering Controversial Drug Treatments |
| A Tidal Wave of Brain Injury Treatment Research | | | | There are a multitude of medications available on the |
| The U.S. National Institute of Health currently | | | | market that allegedly treat of a TBI injury, however, |
| monitors and recruits over 150 clinical trials for TBI | | | | as dangerous medications slip onto shelves and under |
| victims ranging from preventing epilepsy in a victim | | | | the radar of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration |
| after TBI to continued research for Vietnam head | | | | (FDA) it is important to research and understand any |
| injuries to TBI-related hormone deficiency treatments | | | | and all medications prescribed after a TBI accident. |
| of adults. | | | | An example of semi-controversial drug treatments |
| Testing For TBI Injuries Gets a One-Up | | | | comes from a recent research team at the |
| One of the most recent TBI research studies was | | | | Hangzhou Normal University. Researchers there |
| completed by senior author and neurology professor | | | | concluded a study that uncovered a common |
| at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Ramon Diaz-Arrastia, | | | | component found in progesterone, which is a |
| M.D., Ph.D. Diaz-Arrastia along with other researchers | | | | contraceptive pill, "may actually improve the |
| developed a method for a new technique of | | | | neurological outcome for patients with severe head |
| magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analyzation. The | | | | injuries." |
| study will help individuals who suffer from an | | | | The team, supervised by Weiqi Yan, a professor, |
| overlooked condition called diffuse axonal injury (DAI). | | | | that the female hormone may be a safe and |
| According to researchers, DAI is a type of brain | | | | effective treatment, although the test could not |
| injury that affects axons, which are a type of nerve | | | | expand on the neuroprotective effects. However, |
| cell. The injury occurs when something happens to | | | | the results did conclude that progesterone was |
| disrupt movement of the head, such as in an | | | | adequate in treating individuals with a TBI for up to |
| automobile accident. Even modern day computerized | | | | six months. |
| tomography scans or MRIs are not adequately | | | | Likewise, a rather interestingly and debatable study |
| capable of detecting the damage done by a DAI. | | | | by a group of physicians reported on the link of |
| Scientists use a technique in this method deriving | | | | alcohol blood content levels among TBI patients who |
| from a mathematical analysis known as diffusion | | | | survived. The physicians recently discovered that |
| tensor tractography where water, which has been | | | | patients who had a low- to moderate-level of alcohol |
| released by damaged axons, is monitored to | | | | in their bloodstreams after arriving at the hospital |
| determine healthy axons, which absorb water, | | | | because of a TBI-related accident were less likely to |
| compared to dead axons, which release water when | | | | die or become worse because of the alcohol, which |
| they die. | | | | physicians believe to act as a neuroprotective. |
| Similarly, neurologists discovered a new method of | | | | Neuroprotection occurs after a brain-related injury |
| brain scanning that helps to identify and measure | | | | and happens when a mechanism in the nervous |
| brain activity in real time to more accurately assess | | | | system protects cells and neurons within the brain |
| injury while increasing ability to more adequately | | | | from degeneration. However, individuals with a |
| diagnose and treat a TBI patient. | | | | significantly high amount of blood alcohol in their |
| The scan is known as magnetoencephalography | | | | system were more likely at risk for death. But the |
| (MEG) and allows victims who suffer from | | | | study suggested an interesting method that may be |
| TBI-induced epilepsy to find reprieve through more | | | | explored where administering small doses of alcohol |
| accurate diagnosis and monitoring. | | | | into patients of TBI upon arrival may improve their |
| According to Anto Bagic, M.D., a neurologist at the | | | | outcome. |
| Center for Advanced Brain Magnetic Source Imaging | | | | Although the authors of this study were extremely |
| at UPMC in Pittsburgh, who was recently quoted in | | | | hesitant in clarifying their results, and research will |
| news reports, the imaging scan allows for thousands | | | | likely continue for extremely injured TBI victims. |
| of magnetic field samples of brain activity to be | | | | Protecting and Healing TBI Victims |
| recorded every second, which is unlike any other | | | | Because TBI is so prevalent in the United States it is |
| scan. | | | | important to understand that there is are vast |
| Additionally, when using a combination of the MEG | | | | plentitude of causes of brain injury as well as types |
| scan with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), it will | | | | of brain injuries, symptoms and treatments. The best |
| enable neurosurgeons to have a detailed map of the | | | | way to protect an individual suffering from TBI is to |
| brain allowing them to remove damaged tissues and | | | | consult a medical professional immediately. |
| keep healthy tissue intact. | | | | Once a victim has been diagnosed, it will be apparent |
| Cognitive Developmental Methods | | | | that medical bills can quickly calculate to large sums of |
| One of the most researched and augmented | | | | money, which is why speaking with an experienced |
| methods of treatment for TBI deals with cognitive | | | | traumatic brain injury law firm is also just as |
| repair and it's controversy is often discussed among | | | | important to protect and heal a brain injury victim. |
| the science and medical community. Many argue that | | | | |